The Ancient Ones
by Ansleyrocks
Summary: Sequel to the Sister. Moonlight/Roswell XO. Max left her to go and find the other protector and she was furious. Needing to get away from the humans Liz goes to find her sister and catch up with an old friend hoping to forget about her miserable existe
1. Prolog

Title: The Ancient Ones

Author: Ansleyrocks

Disclaimer: I do not own Roswell or Moonlight

Rating: Mature-Adult

Couples: Liz/Josef, Beth/Mick, Michael/Maria

Category: Crossover Moonlight/Roswell

Summary: Sequel to the Sister. Max left her to go and find the other protector and she was furious. Needing to get away from the humans Liz goes to find her sister and catch up with an old friend hoping to forget about her miserable existence in Roswell. Little did she realize her family was going to cause her even more problems than the humans.

Added Note: This takes place after the series finale in Moonlight and during the episode Secrets and Lies.

Added Note 2: The prolog is written in a guest POV. See if you can figure out who it is!

Prolog

_There are few things in this world that humans would do almost anything for. It would have to be something so powerful and valuable that it would make them abandon all they know to seek it, but few ever really know what dear price one has to pay. _

_What would you do if you were dying and all hope was lost when an angel in the dead of night comes to you and offers you a way out? Would you take it, or would you make peace with the fact that your precious life would soon be extinguished? _

_What if no celestial being offered it to you at all, instead it was your best friend? What would you do if you were dying and broken, the world muffled to you, and you saw her face above you like a beacon at sea guiding you home? What if she offered you the chance to live forever? Would you take it? I know I did._


	2. The Wind Blows

Part 1: The Wind Blows

_You ever get the feeling that something is wrong with your life? I am not just talking that you are having a bad hair day or you missed the bus I am talking about that deep sick cold feeling in the pit of your belly that slowly spreads a cold sweat down your back, the one that lets you know something is terribly wrong. I have that feeling and I feel like I am dying, again._

_The voices of the sleepy town whip around in my head and I realize that I am not happy. The cold feeling fades away and I realize it is time for me to move on, the wind is blowing and calling me into a new life. Liz Parker has started to fizzle out and I will start again. _

The hot dry air of the desert floated in her open window hitting her sensitive skin making it sting painfully. The hiss of her freezer sounded more and more appealing but she knew that she had to get it over with, she had to keep going or she would never be done. They sat on her bed staring at her with sad lost eyes not daring to say anything fearing that they would choke up and sob that they didn't want to let her go.

Sparkling green eyes stared at her in unrepentant agony blinking away burning tears. "Maria…" her voice whipped across the room and the girl sucked in a shuddering breath.

"Liz I don't want you to go." She croaked out in a rushed hot breath filled with desperate tears. "Please I want to come with you." Maria sobbed tucking into the solid arm that pulled her close. Liz looked at the two with her sad brown eyes wishing that she could keep them forever, but for her forever was a long time.

"I wish you could but…"

A bitter hiss cut her off, "We are mortal." His gruff voice chocked out. He could not believe that he was losing her after all this time, he had always taken her for granted and now that he knew he would not have her quick mind and fierce passion to cling to he felt a floundering loss.

"Yes, you are mortal." She sighed setting down her top before she joined the two on her bed. "You have no idea how I wish I could turn you, but it would just be a second death for you." Liz said staring bitterly ahead. "He would be angry with me and kill you out of spite; I have seen him do it before." Liz said turning her brown eyes on them sharply, "And that is something I would never wish on you."

"But Alex…"

Liz closed her eyes at the name her back coiling, "Was different, he was Roksana's not mine and they have no say in that." Liz said her cold hand gently squeezing Maria's wrist being mindful of her strength as usual.

"She can't turn another?" Maria asked her lower lip jutting out as she fought more tears.

Liz gave her friends a small pained smile. "We never have more than one fledgling at a time, it is too dangerous and Alex is too new still. Besides she was the only one of my…" Liz paused trying to find the right word to describe the woman who had taken her human companion under her wing. "Tribe, that is still turning new ones. I am afraid that once one hits a certain age you lose the urge to make new friends." Liz said.

"Lizzie…" Maria sobbed finally releasing her pain into the open her small frame shaking as she sucked in painful breaths. "I am going to miss you."

Liz gave her friend a gentle smile her eyes flicking between the two seated next to her. "And I will miss you. I have to say that this life has been interesting; I made friends something I have not done for decades. There was just something about you and Alex that grabbed me and sucked me in." Liz said her eyes twinkling at the blonde.

"Really?" Maria asked sadly.

"Yes, I think it is that you both remind of two people I knew when I was human." Liz closed her eyes as images of that horrible age washed over her.

"What was it like?" His gruff voice asked no longer able to hide his curiosity.

Liz smiled her teeth sparkling in the light of the room. "It was an interesting time, very different from today. I was a lady of the French court…"

"Wow nobility!" Maria gasped her shock cutting off Liz's story.

Liz snorted at her friend slapping a hand to her mouth, "Maria most vampires from the old world are nobility, it was the way of our kind. We turned the privileged not the poor. Well not always though." Liz said the image of her sister flashing before her eyes, the little tramp.

"I sense a huge but in there." He said and Liz nodded.

"I was thinking of my sister…"

"The one who came here?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yes Coraline. She was the court whore back in the day but she was not called that, they called her the courtesan. She slept with all the lords, princes, and kings and slept her way up the social ladder. My brother Nicholas and I were the only ones in the family who found it distasteful and then Jacques of course after he found her screwing his wife's lover. He was not even going to turn her but Edouard…" Liz closed her eyes and took an unnecessary calming breath. "My eldest brother always had a soft spot for her."

"Who was turned first?" Maria asked.

"I was, six years before my sister which is why I remained so young compared to the others. I met him through my husband who was a decent man and loved me kinda how I love Kyle and Michael."

"Like a brother." Maria said and Liz nodded.

"He didn't want me to die from what he considered his fault…but it was silly of him to think that." Liz whispered she saw the two look at her their faces masks of confusion. "I was dying from complications during childbirth. I had given birth to a beautiful baby boy two days prior and I was getting worse and worse. He hated seeing me suffer so he called in my sire who owed him a favor. He told my sire that he would rather I lived forever in the shadows than let my candle of hope go out sending the world into darkness." Liz said a small smile playing on her lips. "I went to bed one night sick with fever and woke up smeared with blood my creator hovering over me waiting for me. He told me I had to come with him and leave my husband and three sons."

"Holy crap Liz three kids?" Maria asked her eyes wide. Liz gave her a pained smile.

"Maria I had my first child when I was twelve, it was terrible but he was my pride and joy and the other two popped along not long after.:

"What happened to them after you ah…died?" She asked not liking the cold look in Liz's eyes.

"My sister is crazy Maria remember that she always has been and she always will be." Liz whispered.

"What does that have to…oh god." Maria whispered her eyes widening as Liz nodded her head.

"Coraline went crazy after I died; I never realized how much she needed me until then. When I found out what she did it was too late to do anything." Liz whispered her lip trembling. "She was so angry with Louis, she blamed him and my children for my death and she…" Liz stopped and closed her eyes. "My sister has always gotten her way." Liz said and she left it at that but the other two knew that the witch had her family killed. "Charles was the next one turned and then Leon and Nicholas followed by Lance and Edouard then Jacques. Coraline was the last to be turned, as we always said once the baby always the baby."

"Liz that is terrible." His gruff voice sounded oddly chocked.

"I wish that was the worst of my memories." Liz said as she glanced at her clock. "I have to get going, my car will be here soon." Liz turned to the two in front of her as she closed the last suitcase. "I need you to promise me that the two of you will be alright, that you will not go and do something foolish."

"I promise." He grunted knowing that deep down he was going to hold to that just for her. He looked to Maria who was silently shaking on the bed in her grief.

"I-I promise." She whimpered as Liz placed her cool lips against her forehead.

"I love you both. Be safe and happy and live your lives." Liz whispered before she left with her bags heading down to the café where she knew the driver was meeting her. Jeff grabbed a bag from her and walked with her out to the car.

"They will be alright Liz, Narcia and I will watch out for them." Jeff said hugging the small girl to him.

"Thank you Jeff, I am glad I found you again." Liz laughed.

"As am I Elise as am I. I have a feeling I will be seeing you again when it is time for Narcia and I to move on." Jeff said as the last of her things were stored away. "She was thinking that we could go someplace cold this time, I am thinking Alaska." Jeff said and Liz nodded.

"Cold sounds like a nice change, I might head that direction after I check in with the LA tribe. It was wonderful seeing you again old friend." Liz said kissing his cheek as he squeezed her arm one last time before he departed back into the café with a silently sobbing Nancy who could not stand to see her go even though the woman knew that their kind always ran into each other again.

"Goodbye Roswell." Liz whispered as the air shifted around her. She could tell he was close and she turned to the ally knowing that his large form was going to appear to her. He hurtled towards her and engulfed her in a hug.

"I didn't get to do that upstairs." He whispered kissing her hair. "Be safe Liz I am going to miss having you around." He sighed.

"You be safe Michael, and don't let the others push you around." Liz said poking him in the chest.

"Not a problem. Maria and I are going to tell the others that you are going to boarding school now that Jeff and Nancy just got too tired of you and Max messing up your life that they sent you away. I will make sure that Max stays away." Michael promised.

Liz looked at him with warm brown eyes allowing them to flash blue for him knowing he found it interesting. "Max was a fancy and one that ended up hurting me in the end, I am not sad to leave him." Liz said before she got into the car. "Bye Michael."

Michael watched as the car drove away a heavy feeling settling deep into his chest as he fought to keep breathing. He could feel the ach behind his eyes build and he closed them tightly hoping to keep it in. He opened them again and saw the speck that was the car in the distance and then it was gone, and so was Liz Parker.

Los Angeles, CA

The two sat silently at the table both appearing to be staring lovingly at one another lost in thought, but if you looked closer another story was revealed. Her straw colored hair hung in flowing waves around her oddly pale golden skin her long nails biting into the flesh of her slender hand as she stared at the man. His body was tense as his fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly and he took small breaths.

"You are doing very well." Her voice tinkered across the small table of the café as she studied him. "Better than any of my others, I am very proud of you, and she will be as well." Her voice was like a trickle of rain to him his posture loosening as her words washed over him.

"Thank you." He hissed. "I just need to get used to that beautiful sound." His voice hissed with a wistful air.

"You get used to it after awhile; the sound becomes a background melody instead of a precious solo. Blood will always call to you but you need to exercise this caution always." She said before her dark gold and honey eyes flickered to the door of the café taking in the night and the person coming in.

The young man stiffened again in his seat as he felt a sting of sorts behind his ear as the stench of decay filled his nostrils. "What is that feeling, what is that smell?" He asked gently brushing at the spot watching as the woman's smile widened.

"I am impressed Roksana his senses are sharper than I thought they would be." A familiar warm voice chuckled and he froze.

"Liz." He breathed comfort and hope spreading through him as he saw his old friend.

"Hello Alex." She said as she sat next to the blonde vampire. Alex leaned back in his seat closing his eyes as their full decay hit him.

"He is still adjusting to it." The woman said to Liz as she stared at Alex. "Apart from me he has never been around another vampire."

"Well it is a good thing he has you as a sire." Liz sighed as Alex blinked up at her in wonder. "Trust me it is better having a sire as old as Roksana, Alex. She has given you an unusual strength for a young vampire, and having been around her you will be more comfortable with older vampires." Liz said and Alex nodded.

"It is still hard to believe that the two of you are so…old." Alex said.

"Hey!" Liz growled. "Being old is a good thing!"

"Damn straight." Roksana said nodding her head in agreement. "I am proud to be one of the oldest vampires in existence. Going on 625 thank you very much." She said her voice sounding oddly like a modern teen indignant that a parent told them they could not do something.

"I am only a little over two hundred." Liz whined and Alex laughed.

"This is so amazing." He breathed, "I am seeing so many new things, things that I looked at each day and never thought anything of it really is a whole new world." He said his goofy smile in place.

"Last night I caught him staring at a flower for three hours." Roksana said with a dramatic eye roll. "Why were there no romantic men like him in my day?"

Liz laughed and slapped a hand to her forehead shaking her head. "Only Alex would use his new abilities to stare at the greenery." Liz hummed.

"So Lizzie, excited about your new life?" Alex asked leaning forward trying to block out the tempting sound of warm beating rich blood flowing through the beautiful blonde a table over.

"Ecstatic." She purred. "Say hello to Elizabeth, Liz, Rider."


	3. Vegan Vampires

Part 2: Vegan Vampires

_I have always been naturally inclined to believe that Vampires, my brothers of the night, are evil. It's not like my sire, my creator and lover ever did anything to change my mind about that. My best friend Josef calls me an unusual creature for not openly embracing my gifts. I think of this life as a curse._

"It's not natural."

He looked up from his glass of blood and glared at his best friend. "Would you rather I pull out my syringe and…"

"No!" He roared. Josef glared at his friend unable to believe that he would rather drink blood from a bottle than the pretty little red head next to him begging for his embrace. "I thought blondie had finally convinced you to go back to fresh." He sneered chuckling when Mick growled at him.

"What makes you say that?" Mick asked his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"I was bored." Josef huffed waving his hand at the women in the room watching as they scattered away heading towards their wing in his home, it was man time.

"And…" Mick hissed.

"Beth was my only friend up at the time." Josef shrugged giving Mick an unapologetic smile. Mick pinched the bridge of his nose trying to control the rage building in him, Josef and Beth talking was never a good idea.

"And what did you two talk about?" Mick ground out.

"Oh a little of this and a little of that, she is a very interesting creature. If she wasn't with you I would definitely consider her for a companion." Josef said wiggling his eyebrows loving how steamed Mick was getting. This was his favorite form of entertainment, irritating Mick St. John.

"Josef…" Mick growled he could feel his control slipping at an alarming rate and he just knew his best friend was enjoying this. Josef knew that the one way to make him go crazy was to bring up Beth, she was his weakness and the ancient vampire knew it.

A flurry of movement of the security alerted the two men to the anomaly. Josef's eyes flashed an inhuman blue as he sensed the shift in the air, the cold stench of familiarity warning him of an approaching danger.

"How many?" Mick asked sensing the disturbance as well.

"Three." Josef snapped as the doorbell rang. Mick released his stance and stared at his friend.

"Since when do bad guys ring the doorbell?" Mick asked trying not to smile at his jumpy friend.

"Mick my enemies are civilized they will ask to be let inside so that they can kill me." Josef hissed cringing when the bell rang again.

"Maybe you should open it." Mick chuckled. Josef sent him a sour look but reluctantly motioned for his guard to open the large door.

"Sir a Miss Elise, Mr. Alexander, and Miss Roksana are here to see you." The beefy male said twitching nervously in the face of the terrifying vampire who controlled the city of angels. Mick watched as his best friend stiffened and his hands clenched at his sides. He could feel the unease rolling off the ancient vampire as he stared at his guard.

"Sir?"

"Ah let them in please." Josef said it was as if a dark gloom had settled over the forever young man as his eyes flickered back and forth from Mick to the door. Mick was starting to feel as if the reason Josef was off kilter was because he was there.

"What's wrong my little Joseph?" a soft voice filled the room and Mick cringed for once happy he did not have to breathe as the overwhelming stench of death assaulted his heightened senses.

Mick watched as his best friend pasted on his false happy go lucky face, "Roxy, Lizzie, and new kid." Josef said keeping a wary eye on the glowering tall male hovering behind the two ethereal beauties. Mick could tell he was just a fledgling but the power radiating off of him sent spider like chills down his spine. The male's eyes danced over to Mick and the older vampire stilled, he could literally feel the new vampire assessing him testing his worth and his risk; he nearly chocked when he saw the new one brush him off.

"Josef." Liz's voice turned scratchy with her amusement she knew her appearance here in the city was going to put off the old one but she needed a little adventure. "You don't look very happy to see us." Liz smiled her delicate fangs peeking out from her pretty mouth.

"Of course I am happy to see you." Josef said but the two women could see the strain at the corners of his beautiful eyes. The honey eyes of the ancient woman snapped to him making Josef cringe.

"Lying is not becoming my little darling." Roksana said as she walked towards him. Mick stared as the woman in the body of a golden teen floated towards them; he was stunned to see that her feet appeared to barely move.

"Sorry." Josef grunted his eyes not meeting hers. It was apparent that he wished to be anywhere but there before the two women.

"No you aren't." Alex laughed gaining the attention of the room. "You are wishing that she was in her hideout in Siberia." Alex said moving forward.

"My little one has an unusual skill for detecting lies." Roksana explained. "According to Elise he had the ability as a human but now that he is one of us it has strengthened, very useful when dealing with hostile parties." She said glaring at Josef.

"Josef…" Mick eyed Liz carefully she was the silent party so far but one that intrigued him. There was something about her that sang to him but the song was not one of peace it was the dire warning of a sirens call.

"Not now Mick." He ground out.

Liz's eyes narrowed at the man before her. "Mick." The name slipped from her lips in a snake like hiss. He was stunned to see her previously soft doe eyes were now a furious crystal blue.

"Elise…" Josef growled. "You are in my city and you will follow my rules." He snapped sensing as any old vampire could a vampire ready to pounce.

Her blue eyes turned on him and he fought the need to cringe, she was not happy with him. "Now, now little one she is just curious. She has never met the infamous Mick St. John." Roksana said her voice was soft but the two males could sense the warning in her musical tone.

"Mick St. John this is Roksana she is currently the oldest living female vampire." Josef said his eyes never leaving her but he kept Liz and Alex in his sensory range at all times. "The shrimp by the door…" Liz's delicate growl made him chuckle. "Is Elise a French noblewoman."

"I go by Liz now."

"Oh right and Roksana goes by Roxy. This guy I have no idea who he is." Josef said finally sparing a glance at Alex who just grinned at him.

"I was Alex Whitman, now I am Alex Rider. I am Lizzie's best buddy and Roxy's baby boy." Alex said and the blonde clenched her teeth.

"Creation Alex you are my creation." She hissed.

"What are you three doing here?" Josef asked his gaze finally returning to Liz.

"I needed a new life." She said giving him a big smile. "And you were the first person we thought of."

"Try again." Josef said sitting down slowly in one of his white pristine chairs motioning for the others to do so as well, he could tell this was going to take awhile. Mick watched as Liz glanced at him her eyes cold before they warmed right up when she gazed back at Josef.

"Okay okay. I heard what happened and when I was given an out I came here to explore." Liz said glancing out the large glass window.

"Figured as much." Josef sighed sparing a glance at Mick who was thankfully still in the dark. Josef knew he would need to meet with Liz privately to talk her down, he was not in the mood to lose another friend and if Liz was here he could guarantee that Mick was in danger. "Remember…"

"To follow the rules." She hissed. "Yes because you are all about the rules Josef." She snarled her face an unattractive mask of fury. "I will follow my rules and you will follow yours." She hissed. Josef knew that there was nothing else he could do at that moment so he let it go for now, he knew that he needed to speak to Liz away from the ancient woman.

"So Liz…" Mick gained the petite brunette's attention. "Where did you live before here?"

"Roswell." Alex snickered. "Why she chose the desert is still a mystery."

"Hey I met you in the desert." Liz said a smile appearing on her face the first time in their presence. Mick was surprised by how young she looked when she smiled, it was so soft and familiar somehow.

Alex shifted in his seat his eyes darting towards the distant sound that sang to him. The gentle pitter of human hearts was calling to him as the rush of blood sang for him. Josef eyed the fledging surprised at his restraint.

"Well this visit has taken up too much time. Alex needs to feed soon." Liz said standing. "I will be seeing you Josef." Liz said marching towards the door Alex trailing after her chuckling the whole way.

Roxy stared hard at Josef. "The Wind has blown and she has answered its call. I foresee a large struggle ahead." Her eyes held a strange vacant look before they landed on Mick. "Be careful in this matter Josef."

"Tell Elise to watch herself. I was serious when I said she needs to abide by my rules."

Golden eyes seared into the four hundred year old vampire. "I doubt HE will see it that way." Before Mick could comprehend their conversation she was gone leaving the strong stench of death behind her.

"Josef what the hell is going on, I am feeling a little lost." Mick said trying to laugh it off but the nagging warning Liz had sent him left him on edge.

"Get used to that feeling Mick." Josef sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose. "That is how you will feel every time you deal with their kind."

"Their kind?"

"Ancient Ones Mick." Josef said his troubled eyes landing on his friend. "I have a feeling that with Liz and Roxy being here the others will be on their way."

"And that is bad I take it." Mick said.

"Yes Mick that is very bad." Josef sighed. "Very very bad."


	4. Vegan Vampires II

Part 3: Vegan Vampires II

_There are times in life when a person can just tell that they are missing something that people are purposefully leaving out information. It starts with a tugging feeling in your stomach and then a sour taste forms in your mouth. You can tell that everyone else in the room is in on this big secret and that they are just waiting for you to leave so they can talk in secret. My best friend Josef is great for doing this but the worst thing is knowing that the secret somehow involves you._

"Mick?" The soft perky voice of his beautiful angel made him smile as she entered his apartment. He loved that she could come and go whenever she wanted.

"In the kitchen." He called back closing his special fridge. Her warm floral scent filled his senses and warmed his frozen body.

"You alright?" She asked taking her boyfriend in, she could see the stress in his dark eyes and was worried. She knew that Mick stressed over the slightest thing but this time she could sense it was different.

"We have some new visitors in LA. Two of them are old friends of Josef's it sounds like."

Beth raised a blonde eyebrow at him. "You think?" She asked.

Mick sighed stepping over to the counter to face her. "It was weird there was this whole tension between them, especially this girl named Liz and Josef. It was as if they were all having one conversation that I could hear but at the same time I was missing another." Mick said curling and uncurling his large fist.

"Oh I know how that feels." She said smirking at him and he rolled his eyes in a very un-Mick like way.

"I think that Liz girl hates me. Granted, that is not unusual in our world since a lot of vampires don't agree with me on my eating habits." Mick said.

"Yeah not many vegan vampires." Beth snickered Mick's dark glare only fueled her mirth.

"Don't ever call it that." He grunted.

"It's true though, they see you as the odd ball." Beth said moving to hug him. "What else happened?" She asked sensing that something else was bothering him.

"Am I scary?" He asked looking down at her. Beth gaped at him not believing that he was actually asking her that.

"Why would you ask that?" She asked wanting to see what triggered the question so she could answer him without hurting his feelings.

"Today at Josef's one of the girls had a fledgling with her and he just brushed me off, like he didn't think of me as a threat." Mick scoffed. "I have at least eighty years on the kid and he just took one look at me and then nothing."

"Maybe he felt safe there he knew you couldn't do anything." Beth said placing a kiss on his chest.

"He is powerful." Mick sighed stating what was really bothering him. "He can't be more than a few months old Beth and he made me fear for my safety."

Beth stopped and pulled away from him looking pensive. "His sire must be old." She mumbled but he heard her.

"What?"

"I said his sire must be old. Usually when you have a sire who has a few centuries under their belt the fledgling has more juice in them to start off, they have more power." Beth said not liking the worried look Mick was giving her.

"How do you know this?" He asked.

"Mick, Josef and I talk…a lot." She said her nose wrinkling slightly. "He sometimes gets board during the day at the office when he can't threaten anyone so he calls me and we gab like a bunch of girls."

Mick raised an eyebrow at her and she blushed. "Okay so it is more like I ask him a bunch of questions and then he answers them and then he can ask me anything he wants and I have to answer. I really need to amend that last one because it has gotten me in trouble." She grumbled.

"How come I didn't know this?" Mick asked as he led her to the sitting room joining her on the couch as she curled her feet up under her.

"It was nothing serious, just me talking Josef's ear off to pass the time." Beth said.

"Sorry it is just weird to think of Josef and you talking."

"I know seeing as how not more than a month ago he wanted you to kill me." Beth said laughing slightly at Mick's horrified look. "Oh please I knew that the whole time, you are a terrible liar when it comes to me." Beth said kissing his cheek.

"So this Alex guy is probably the fledgling of someone old."

"Right."

Mick looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well both women there were old, but Roxy is supposed to be the oldest female vampire."

"I thought that was Lola." Beth looked confused.

"So did I." Mick sighed. "Which means that Josef is hiding something from me."

Josef groaned as he walked into his office that afternoon. Several of his employees scattered away from him afraid that they had done something to upset him; if it had been any other day he would have found this funny and very enjoyable.

"Mr. Kostan." The velvet voice of Simone rang after him and he ground his teeth fighting the urge to snap at her. The closer he walked towards his office the stronger the familiar scent of decay got, his guest was there already. "There is a Miss Rider here to see you."

"Thank you Simone." He said brushing her off.

He paused before the door and prepared himself for the hissing match with Liz. "Good afternoon Elise." He growled playfully or what he hoped was playfully as he sat down behind his oversized desk. Liz raised a perfect eyebrow at him and slowly uncrossed her bare tanned legs smirking inside when she saw his eyes follow the movement.

"Afternoon Josef."

"Mind telling me what the hell you are really doing here in LA?" He asked cutting to the chase as he went to his wall and hit the secret panel revealing his hidden blood stash.

"Coraline has disappeared."

"Yeah I know, Mick flipped when she was not in her hospital bed dying. But you should already know thins since it was your brothers that took her." Josef said leaning back in his chair. Liz's face suddenly looked troubled as she bit her bottom lip.

"No Josef they didn't." She whispered, if he didn't have dog like hearing he would have never heard it.

"Come again." He growled feeling as if the rug had been ripped out from under him.

"My brothers did not take her. Lance came here to get her but when he went to the hospital she was already gone. Josef I made her swear to me that she would keep in contact with me, I even threatened to send our brothers after her but she called once and then that was it." Liz said rubbing her forehead a silly habit she kept from her human days.

"Who the hell took her then?" Josef growled. "I highly doubt she walked off on her own."

"We know that." Liz snarled her eyes flashing their inhuman blue as her anger took over. "That is why I am here. Lance was going to come back with Edouard but since I needed to get away from Roswell I decided I would come instead. Besides I am on better terms with you than they are." Liz said and Josef nodded, they were closer than he was with her brothers. Probably because her brothers were always causing him problems.

"What are your theories?" Josef asked.

"Um see this is where it gets bad." Liz said looking awfully scared. Josef cringed, whatever scared Liz did not bode well for anyone else.

"Why do I have a feeling that whatever you are going to tell me is going to make me very upset?"

"Because you know that when I tell you that my sire thinks that Ivan is responsible for her disappearance that you are going to get really angry." Liz said her eyes wide. Josef couldn't help the furious roar that escaped him as he practically sprang on Liz.

"Ivan has been in my city?" He snarled and Liz nodded not meeting his gaze.

"That's why Roksana is here." Liz whispered biting her lip. "She followed him when he left and she said that he came here, but she has no idea why. We talked about it and she seems to agree that he came here for Coraline."

"Why the hell would he do that?" Josef asked.

"Because he knows His weakness." Liz said looking suddenly sour. "Everyone knows she is his favorite."

"I have no idea why, that girl is more trouble than she is worth. I would have killed her long ago." Josef grumbled.

Liz gave him a weak smile. "Believe me I have tried."


	5. Ivan the Terrible

Part 4: Ivan the Terrible

_Henry Van Dyke once said, "Some people are so afraid to die that they never begin to live." So true and yet most never see it. I used to avoid danger and the supernatural like the sickness's that took whole families in my day. Who knew that immortality could change so much. When I was given the ability to do whatever I wanted without the burden of death hanging over my head it was as if new life had entered my frail body and I suddenly found myself more alive than ever._

He stared at her with a burning gaze. There was something strangely familiar about her and it was eating him up on the inside. Her hair the way it fell around her eyes, her cheeks and their soft pale golden color, the gentle curve of her lip. It was all so new and yet familiar to him.

"Stop staring at her." Beth hissed looking put off.

Mick looked at his girlfriend feeling terrible, "Sorry she just seems familiar." Mick said knowing that the vampire in question could hear their conversation which was probably why she was smirking at Josef who was looking even sourer if possible.

"What is taking them so long?" Josef snapped at Liz who just raised an eyebrow at him daring him to snap at her again.

"Alex must have just woken up, he will be hungry and since Beth is here Roxy thought it best to feed him. Even if he has amazing self control, it is best not to tempt him after all her blood smells several kinds of wonderful." Liz's icy blue eyes racked over the blonde making her shiver. Josef growled at Liz warning her to stop her train of thought. Beth had a restraining hand on Mick as he snarled at Liz daring her to come after Beth.

"What, it was just a comment." Liz said shrugging her chest moving with the action. Josef's eyes snapped to the action unconsciously. Liz had to hide a grin when she saw that, she knew she wore the slinky red dress for a reason.

"Oh please say the fun has not started without us." Roxy's soft voice floated towards the four as she and Alex glided towards them. Beth's jaw dropped at the sight of the blonde.

"We know better than that." Josef said watching as Alex sat next to Liz while Roxy remained staring off to the side looking on with a wise all knowing smile.

"Um I don't mean to be rude…" Beth said staring at Liz, Alex, and Roxy. "But who are you three?" She asked making Roxy smile.

"You are not afraid of us?" Roxy asked.

"No not with Mick here." Beth said as Roxy let out a musical laugh.

"My fledgling could crush your vampire with one hand, he could not stop us from hurting you if we desired." Roxy said.

"Oh." Beth said her eyes wide as Alex smiled at her. She found it odd that he looked so happy and carefree when he was supposed to be some bad ass vampire.

"To answer your question Beth we are friends of Josef's." Liz said.

"Roksana is my sire." Josef added, "Making Alex my new brother." Alex rolled his eyes at the comment.

"I always wanted a big brother." Alex stage whispered to Liz, "Too bad mom had to have such a…" Liz slapped her hand over his mouth when she realized what he was going to say. She knew Alex was strong but there was no way he could stand going against Josef. Alex had the good sense not to continue his thought but smiled at Beth.

"Who are you?" Mick asked Liz who looked to Josef to answer.

"He needs to truth." Roxy said her hand filtering down to Liz's golden shoulder as if to pet her. Josef nodded looking unhappy that he had to tell Mick.

"As you already know her name is Elise. Mick does she seem familiar to you?" Josef asked.

"Yes." Mick said the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end when he realized that he was not crazy that the little girl was familiar to him.

"That is because you have met a family member of hers before. Mick…" Josef sighed, "Elise is Coraline's older sister."

The eighty year old vampire froze in a death state. His eyes frosted over to a chilling blue as he growled at Liz. Josef could see that his friend was getting ready to lung at Liz and knew he needed to do something to diffuse the situation.

"Oh look the little baby thinks he can play." Liz laughed her fangs creating an odd hiss at the end of each breath.

"Liz." Josef growled. "Mick calm down she is not going to go and try and kill Beth. She is here for a reason." Josef said.

"We are all here for a reason." Roxy said her voice no longer honey light. There was a dark crisp edge to her voice making it sound cold and raspy.

"Coraline is missing." Liz said.

"Yes we know you took her." Mick growled.

"No she didn't Mick." Josef said. "And that is the problem."

"We believe another ancient took her." Roxy said looking darkly at Josef. "If he has her than we are in trouble."

"What is an ancient?" Mick finally asked breaking the tense barrier slightly.

"It is complicated." Liz muttered.

"To be an ancient you have to meet an age requirement." Beth said surprising all in the room expect Josef who was nodding at her to continue. "You have to be at least four hundred years old."

"Which is why I am not an ancient." Liz said.

"I am not an ancient though." Josef added confusing Mick.

"By choice." Liz sang.

"Yes." Roxy said her gaze hardening as it landed on her child. "By choice. It seems Josef deemed us…what was the term?" She asked looking like a blonde airhead, but her vicious growl proved she was anything but. "Archaic."

"That is generally the idea though since you all are so old." Beth said and Roxy gave her a delighted smile.

"My you are the perfect little one." Roxy said confusing the little human girl.

"Who are the ancients?" Mick growled. "I want names and what the hell this has to do with Coraline."

Liz was suddenly across the room and holding Mick's throat before anyone could blink, her lips pressed to his ear as she hissed. "My sister was a little fool for turning you." Liz hissed low enough that only Mick could hear her lips barely moving. "If I had my way I would drink your little pet here dry just to spite you, but I won't because Josef likes her. I wanted you dead before she even turned you and I almost had you killed too but she chose to save you." Liz hissed the sound similar to nails on a chalk board. "Remember that when you speak to my friends, who saved you time and time again. Patience is all that is keeping you alive right now." She was gone and in her seat by the time Josef had started to growl at her.

"Elise…"

"We were just talking Josef darling." Liz said giving him a soft smile.

"Back to your question." Roxy said gently rubbing Liz's shoulder. "There are not many ancients, we tend to be targets for vampires looking to raise their station in tribes."

Josef took over sipping his liquor laced blood, "Roksana is the oldest female but there are others. Pandora, and Valia are the other females. Then for the males the oldest of them is Albert who is even older than Roksana, he is believed to be one of the first." Josef said.

"One of the first vampires?" Beth asked her eyes wide.

"Yes." Liz said smiling at her.

"Wow he has to be very powerful." Beth breathed.

"She is very smart Josef." Roxy said gliding across to her fellow blonde. "Why hasn't she been turned?" Roxy asked making Mick stiffen.

"Mick has a claim on her, I am guessing he won't even think of turning her into a monster like us." Alex said and Liz nodded.

"I would never subject her to that when she has a chance at a nice normal life." Mick sighed but it did not have its usual bite to it.

"Who are the other male immortals?" Beth asked ever the reporter.

"My sire is one." Liz whispered her eyes nervously darting around the room suddenly. "He is one of the oldest as well."

"And who is HE?" Mick asked not even Coraline ever said the man's name and he was anxious to finally hear who the hell the guy was.

"Laurent." Liz whispered and even Roxy cringed.

"Okay I get the feeling he is a bad guy." Beth said and Alex nodded, this was new to him as well.

"Bad does not even begin…" Roxy closed her eyes then seemed to stare off blankly into space. "He is not the worst of them though. There are two others, and one of them is the reason for calling this meeting."

"Javed and…" Liz looked to Josef and Roxy who nodded. "And the reason we are here…Ivan."

"Ivan why is he bad?" Beth asked.

"Because Ivan is the only one of us with an actual hate for humanity and the only one who now has the means to enslave an entire race." Josef said.

"Josef that is not possible." Mick said.

"Of course it is." Liz snapped. "There is a reason we didn't want you." She hissed.

"What Liz is trying to say is that there is a reason Laurent is so picky about who his family turns." Josef said glaring at Liz who did not back down, not that he expected her to. "Mick their blood line your bloodline is different."

"My sister was able to turn human again Mick and so were you. The compound that she stole was created from our blood. Our line has a unique, twist if you will." Liz said rubbing her wrist, "There are many vampires who would do anything to get a hold of one of us and use us."

"That is why they never wanted you changed. They had no idea if you were going to be a liability for them." Josef said.

"Like Coraline is now." Beth whispered and Josef nodded.

"Wow you really are good at putting the pieces together." Liz said making Beth blush.

"Coraline has always been the lose end of the family." Roxy said looking pained. "Laurent usually keeps a very tight rein on her so that something like this would not happen. Then she turned you and made things even worse. Your blood is the key to making a vampire mortal again." Roxy said.

"That is just one use for it though." Liz said watching as Mick looked positively hopeful. "Our blood is also used to make humans obey us. I am not sure how it works; only the ancients know." Liz said looking at Roxy who was running a hand through her long blonde curls staring into space again. "Laurent might be power hungry but even he does not hate humans that much, for him half the fun is human free will."

"It does make the blood that much richer." Josef agreed. "Controlled little puppets are no fun."

"So Ivan took Coraline." Beth said and the others nodded.

"For his diabolical plan." Alex grumbled. "I really like my humans the way they are thank you very much." He huffed crossing his arms over his chest; Liz was surprised to see he was actually pouting.

"What are you all going to do?" Beth asked looking worried.

"The easiest way to solve all of this is to kill Coraline." Josef said and Roxy nodded.

"Easier said than done." Grumbled Mick. "Believe me I have tried."

Josef chuckled looking between Liz and Mick, "Funny you both have said that. Yes she is going to be hard to kill but if we work together on this we can do it." Josef said hating that he sounded like some human motivational speaker. He was not used to having to do the grunt work.

"The problem is going to be getting past Ivan and his band of merry men." Liz said.

"I thought finding him would be the problem." Beth said and Alex nodded in agreement.

Josef cringed internally thinking about how they knew where to find the ancient vampire. "He is not that hard to find."

"You know where he is?" Mick asked a growl rumbling in his chest.

"Duh." Roxy said rolling her eyes. "What kind of wife would I be if I didn't know where my husband was." She grumbled.

"Oh." Beth gasped.


	6. Ivan the Terrible II

Part 5: Ivan the Terrible II

_James Baldwin once said, "People are trapped in history and history is trapped in people" touching words that ring more true than most people know. One would think that a walking piece of history would be more stuck in history than others but it is often those of us who are fated to live through forever that end up breaking free of history's bonds. But when a challenge hits those people often revert back to their old ways seeking comfort in the mundane and familiar even when it is that very action that will ultimately condemn them._

No one knew what to say that much was obvious, apparently Beth and Mick did not see that one coming. Roxy looked indifferent as she continued. "I mean come on like I would really follow him all the way from Siberia if I was not with him. I happen to like the cold thank you very much and I had a nice group of freshies." She huffed.

"So you know where he is." Mick said looking wild all of the sudden. "Why the hell are we just standing here we should be going after him."

"Good luck." Roxy said taking a seat on the arm of Liz's chair. "It was nice knowing you. I am sure that Beth will make a great mate for my little Alex here." Roxy said. Mick stopped dead his eyes changing from their warm brown to fierce ice a deep growl springing from the center of his chest.

"Oh possessive." Liz hummed. Beth for the first time looked worried in their midst.

"Enough." Josef growled standing up. Liz grinned when she saw his angry expression, she loved him angry.

Mick did not back down as he crouched low in front of Beth the challenge to his claim still hung in the air. He flashed his teeth at Alex who hissed at him leaping off of his seat into a low crouch. Josef was not happy neither of them was listening to him. He let out a dark low growl warning the two to back off.

"Mine." Mick growled at Alex as he pressed even closer to Beth.

"Enough!" Josef roared for once putting power into his command. The two males stopped feeling as if someone was clenching their insides through their bellybutton. "Sit down. Now!" Josef ordered and the two moved to obey him, Mick wrapping his arm protectively around Beth. "You need to calm down." Josef said glaring at Mick. "No one is going to try and take Beth from you. And you." Josef rounded on Roxy, "Don't encourage them."

"What?" She shrugged her shoulders unconcerned with the drama unfolding before her. Mick got the gloomy feeling that she was this way a lot; unconcerned and instigating.

"Mick." Liz's musical soft voice rang gaining the glowering male's attention. "Back to your earlier let's go and get them suggestion. That would never work. Mick you don't understand how hard it is to fight an ancient and if you think Ivan is just going to let you walk away with my sister you are deeply stupid." Liz said.

"She is right. He would never let Coraline go. He is not the only problem though, his guards are very good at what they do, they would all give their lives for him." Roxy said.

"So what do we do?" Beth asked.

Roswell

She didn't know what to do with herself she felt so alone. Now that Alex was gone and Liz followed him, the only people she had in her life were Michael and Kyle. Normally she would count Isabel into this equation but ever since she got with Jesse she has spent less and less time with them and the group was starting to feel it. They used to call her for all of their gatherings but after being refused for a month, they stopped asking.

"Hey Ria. Why the long face?" Kyle asked sliding into the seat across from her in a tacky red and blue booth.

"Just miss Liz." She whispered playing with her straw. Kyle stared at her for a moment not knowing what to say before his boyish looked down his shoulders slumping.

"She's not coming back is she?" Kyle asked softly, Maria barely heard him.

"Of course she is." Maria said but the dead light in her eyes confirmed what Kyle already knew. She was not coming back and she had told Maria that, Liz Parker was as good as dead to them.

"No she isn't." Kyle said. "She has gone to start over. With Alex." Kyle whispered. Maria's sharp breath solidified his theory.

"How did you…"

"Maria I am not as stupid as everyone thinks I am. I pay more attention to my surroundings than most people do; it's why I am so good at sports. I know that Liz is not human. She never has been."

"What do you mean?" Maria asked wanting to know what exactly her friend knew.

Kyle looked at her and rolled his eyes not believing that he was going to have to explain himself. He ran a hand through his ever growing hair, "Maria the Liz we know and are friends with is not the same little girl we met in the third grade when Jeff and Nancy moved here. Actually I think there were three different Liz's."

"How the hell do you know this?" Maria hissed her eyes welling with tears.

"Wait Liz told you?" Kyle asked feeling hurt that she had told Maria this and not him.

"After Michael and I found out she was not exactly human she told us everything, even though she didn't want to." Maria mumbled looking down at the table again remembering how terrified she had been that night after that Morgan woman left. Her and Michael had seen Liz grab the woman by the throat and raise her off the ground, and her eyes, the cold blue was what gave her away.

Maria shivered as Kyle continued. "When we were in third grade Liz was warm." Kyle said and Maria closed her eyes tears threatening to fall as images of the little girl she was friends with, who she stuck up for flashed through her mind. "Then when we entered middle school, she was suddenly very different."

"She was cold." Maria whispered and Kyle nodded.

"She felt as if she had just stepped out of a freezer." Kyle said shivering at the memory of her cold hand that left jabbing tingly pains in his hand after he had held it. "She even looked different Maria. When Liz was little she had a small beauty mark over her right eyebrow that was gone by the time we started sixth grade. Her skin was darker and her hair smelled different." Kyle said a faint blush tingeing his cheeks.

"You had a crush on her." Maria said smiling remembering how Kyle used to follow Liz around, he was worse than Max. Max at least used to just watch from afar.

"Yeah she was so…perfect. She had this natural grace about her that made every guys head turn." Kyle sighed his eyes glassy as he pictured the young Liz who was still fresh in his mind. "Then freshman year of high school she was very different."

"I feel stupid." Maria muttered her lower lip trembling as she tried to hold in her tears. "She is my best friend and yet I never noticed that she was three different people until she told me. She was always there for me always the best friend I could ask for and yet I never noticed she was not the same person." Maria said a tear rolling out the corner of her eye and over the red apple of her cheek.

Kyle placed his soft warm hand over her small one shaking on the table. "Maria you were a good friend which is why you never noticed. You didn't want to see that Liz was three different people, you were just happy having her as a friend."

"Do you know what she is?" Maria asked wiping at her cheek to remove the salty wetness.

Kyle shrugged his shoulders. "I have a few theories but I am pretty sure I know what she is."

"What are those theories?" Maria asked smiling slightly knowing that this was going to be entertaining.

"Well some of them are better than others but here are a few things that have gone through my mind over the years." Kyle said leaning back in the booth to tell her all about it. "At first I thought that Jeff and Nancy were like spies or something and that they would hire other spy kids to pose as their daughter for their cover. Then I thought that the Parker's were US marshals and that the kids were all in witness protection program." Kyle said and Maria could not help but laugh at his comments.

"The Parker's marshals." She laughed and Kyle chuckled.

"Yeah I know it was a wild theory, but you know us humans; trying to explain away what we don't understand."

"So what else did you think?" Maria asked her mood slowly improving as she sat and talked to Kyle one of the few people she had left in her miserable life.

"After I found out about the whole aliens existing thing I thought maybe Liz was one, but then that was shot to hell when I realized she was not a heartless bitch so there was no way she could be ET." Maria giggled at his comment but let him continue. "One night before we went to Vegas I was on the internet and messing around when I started to type in information about all of my friends. To make a long and very freaky story short." Kyle sighed looking at his hands. "She never aged." He whispered.

"What?" Maria asked.

"I found this website it was about French royalty and I was flipping through the oil paintings when I noticed one, it was a beautiful girl and a man. It was a spitting image of Liz." Kyle whispered his eyes staring frantically at the table. "Maria it was her right now to the scar on her neck. You know the one shaped like a half moon."

"The one she said was from chicken pox." Maria whispered.

"Not from chicken pox apparently. I was reading the woman, Elise's bio. She was the wife of Louis XII the third in line for the throne. Apparently when she was younger she had small pox." Kyle said. "It left her scared, but not as bad as others."

"Oh." Maria said feeling glum that this was another but she had not known about her best friend.

"She is a vampire." Kyle said watching as Maria's small white hand clenched around her soda glass her knuckles turning a sick greenish white color.

"No she…"

"Maria I know you don't have to lie. Besides it is not like you are breaking a promise to Liz. I mean you never told me I just figured it out. I mean come on we have seen her order food but just pick at it, she is deathly cold…"

"You are right." Maria sighed her hand releasing its death grip.

"I know." Kyle said. "I also know that Alex is one of them."

Maria slowly looked up at Kyle her green eyes wide. "How?"

"Easy." Kyle said grinning at her, "I saw it happen."

Los Angeles

He knew she was there, she always came around this time of night it was their routine. Even after all of these years she stuck to her ways, never straying too far from him. Many of his kind found a relationship like theirs impossible, but after being together for so long it became natural to him. Her ethereal form glided across the marble floor, her feet never making a sound as she moved towards him, her soft curls barely swaying in the wind of her movement.

No words were needed between them; they had passed the point of needing idle chit chat to relay their feelings to one another. He felt her still beside him and he breathed in her scent, the warm fragrance washing over him. He stared down into her warm eyes the special look saved just for him there.

"Rox." He said his voice sounding tired from a long day of barking and yelling at his people.

"Ivan." She whispered her hand ghosting across his cheek and forehead in her familiar greeting. "It is agreeable to see you."

He held out his hand and waited for her smaller tan one to flutter into his before he led the way to his room in the temporary house. The pair could feel the eyes of the guards following them as they went to their freezer. No one thought it odd except a small brunette glaring at the back of the blonde.


	7. Ivan the Terrible III

Part 6: Ivan the Terrible III

_As Salvador Dali once said, "Wars have never heard anybody except the people who die." I can tell just by looking at the faces of those around me that this war I am entering is one such example. I will not be hurt by this war but those close to me, those who end up in the crossfire. I hate thinking that just one simple act on my part something so easy for me so natural could cause thousands to die, but as someone famous once said, that is the way of war. _

Her scent reached him before he even heard her ghost like footsteps. The warm vanilla and strawberry scent always tickled his nose brining a reluctant smile to his face. "Can I help you with something?" He asked never moving from his white arm chair.

"Are you angry with me?" She asked her voice soft and oddly childlike. This time he did turn to face her. She was biting her lip her brown eyes clouded with worry. He hated to see that expression on her face, it always made him feel terrible. He was out of his seat like the wind and had her arms in his hands before a human could blink.

"What would make you say that?" He asked.

"You have been nothing but cross with me since I got here. I let you know I was going to be stopping by and yet you are still angry with me." She said pouting slightly. He felt like a class A jerk which was a hard feet considering he was king of all things cocky.

"Elise…"

"Liz." She reminded him ignoring his eye roll.

"Fine LIZ. No I am not angry with you, more like annoyed with the situation." Josef said.

"That is so the same thing." She huffed.

"Not the same thing. I just hate that you and Mick don't get along. I mean I get that he is the bane of your sire's existence but I mean come on you don't like Coraline that much so I don't get why you still have no love for my best buddy."

Liz gave him a dark look before she floated over to a couch and took a seat looking oddly stiff and uncomfortable. "He will never be my favorite person." She hissed. "He reminds me too much of someone I used to know." She glowered as he took a seat next to her.

"Who does he remind you of?" Josef asked knowing this was going to be a good story. Elise always had such interesting characters in her life.

"Max Evans!" She bellowed her eyes flashing their inhuman blue as a nasty hiss left her mouth her teeth raging forward.

Josef took in her appearance not knowing what to say, obviously this Max person had done something to displease Elise, which was kind of hard to do since she was normally so easy going. "And that would be…"

"My ex boyfriend." She whined startling him.

"Your…"

"He was human or at least mortal and someone from my Roswell life. He was so different." Liz said reaching out to grab Josef's hand. "Remember when you met Sarah and you had this tug at your heart that let you know she was different somehow?" Liz asked.

"Yes." Josef whispered. "I realized she was not like the other humans."

"Well I felt that several times in Roswell, it was amazing. I felt it with Alex, Kyle, Maria, Michael, Isabel and Max. There was just something about them that sang to me. Max though there was just something different."

"You loved him." Josef said trying to mask the bitter pain building inside him.

"I thought I did but then he hurt me…"

"What?" Josef snarled pulling her closer. "He hurt you…how?" He asked.

"So many ways." Liz said closing her eyes. "I figured out once I left that I was right to never share my secret with him. Josef I was so stupid I was so human." Liz said opening her eyes only for him to see that they were shining with tears.

"Elise…" He cupped the side of her face.

"He reminded me of you. He was dark and quiet and always kept others at arm's length but then he let me in. He told me his secret."

"That would be…"

"That he and his family are aliens." Liz whispered a tear rolling down her cheek. "I didn't believe him until he used his ability on me, healing me. He thought I was going to die from a simple bullet wound."

"Always thought aliens existed." Josef hummed before focusing his attention back onto her. "So what happened?"

"He had to form a connection with me in order to heal me. He saw flashes of my life, I know he glossed over the ones that did not make sense focusing on the ones he would remember." Liz said her eyes glazed over as she remembered the day and the numerous images that played through her mind that he had seen. "He saw the images I had from watching the other girls posing as Liz for the life I was to take over in Roswell."

"I forgot that you had that." Josef said allowing a ghost of a smile to cross his young face. "It's the one where you had a human girl start the process and then put in another and then you step in?"

"Yes. I tried to explain the how and whys to Michael and Maria but I don't know if they fully understood." Liz said moving closer to Josef smiling when he pulled her to rest at his side.

"It is hard for our kind to keep forming new lives; people start to get suspicious so we build up elaborate lives." Josef said.

"I even told them the reason why I had to create such an elaborate stage for my new life since my last one was so high profile." Liz said laughing slightly.

"Yes you and Pandora do have a knack for gaining attention." Josef growled.

"Max saw glimpses of my old life, my human and non human life. I know he saw Coraline and my brothers but I know he forgot by the time she came around."

"What happened?"

"Apparently aliens sent to Earth have a special destiny." Liz grumbled burrowing her head into the crook of his neck. "With each other. Just when I was starting to trust myself with him and letting him into my heart the little blonde ET showed up and took it all away. The urge to rip out her throat and drain her dry was intense."

"Wait so some human girl was able to take this guy away from you?" Josef asked not liking the sound of that.

"Yes and no. He fought against it but aliens have powers."

"Naturally." Josef huffed.

"You do believe me right?" Liz asked sitting up to looking him dead in the eye.

"Elise I have known you long enough to take what you say seriously. If you say that aliens exist and have powers they do." Josef said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she settled back against him.

"Eventually I saw how useless it was all getting. I created this whole elaborate story of a future Max coming back in time telling me I had to stay away." Liz said sending Josef into a fit of giggles.

"So none of this so far explains why you hate Mick." Josef said.

Liz let out a deep cold unneeded breath. "He reminds me of Max. Right down to the damn broody nature and the whole weight of the world on my shoulders bit." Liz said playing with one of the buttons on his shirt. "He even preferred the blonde to the brunette."

"Well Liz." Josef said the new name feeling foreign on his tongue. "I like brunettes better." He said kissing her nose.

"I know." She said snuggling closer to his form. "You promise you aren't mad at me?" She asked.

"Promise."

"Do you love the human more than me?" She finally asked.

Josef reached down and tilted her face towards him gently brushing his lips over hers. "No." he sighed. "Because even though she felt different than most humans and I was prepared to give her an eternity. She would have been with me until she was out of the fledgling stage and then left." Josef said looking sad.

"What makes you say that?" Liz asked.

"Because she never got to know the real me. She only knew me as Charles the nice guy; she never had the pleasure of meeting Josef the vampire."

"Hey I happen to like Josef the vampire. He was one of my first friends." Liz said undoing a third button.

"Friend?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

Liz rolled her eyes but allowed a smile to come over her. "Fine more than a friend, a drinking buddy." She giggled when she heard him growl.

"Hey I was way more than a drinking buddy. I was the one who got to show you the joys of sex as a vampire." Josef huffed.

"Want to show me again? I have been all by myself for years." It did not take Josef long to think that one over, he had her upstairs and in a freezer before the laugh could escape her.

Roswell

Isabel walked into the café glowing; Maria wanted to hurl the creamer at her. "Hey guys I got a call from Max he is on his way home." She sang. "Where's Liz I can't wait to tell her she will be thrilled."

Kyle shared a look with Maria and Michael wondering why they hadn't told her. Isabel looked between the three confusion settling over her face. "What is it?"

"Isabel, ah Liz isn't here." Kyle said not meeting her gaze.

Her face fell as she stared at them. "Well where is she, Max can't wait to see her."

Michael set down his towel and left the kitchen heading out into the empty café. "She was sent away Isabel." Michael's gruff voice startled her. "Her dad got tired of her attitude and her falling grades and he sent her away to boarding school. In Vermont."

"She isn't going to come back Isabel." Maria said finally looking up her green eyes cold and unfeeling. "Max pushed and pushed and finally she caved in. Someone can only be pushed away so many times before they stop coming back."

"He is going to be heartbroken!" Isabel screeched looking at Maria crossly. He should have thought of that before he decided to go to LA without telling her or calling her and having the rest of us keep her in the dark. She got fed up with it and when her parents sent her off to school she did not even fight it.

"What?" A strangled whisper sounded from the door of the café. The four turned to the entrance and saw Max standing there his face looking ready to crumble. "Liz is gone?"


	8. Ivan the Terrible IV

Part 7: Ivan the Terrible IV

_Pam Brown had it right when she said, "A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often- just to save it from drying out completely." This especially applies to my best friend who for all of his bluster shows his affections through material wealth. It's funny, as a human I never realized a friendship could be so much work._

He had been there thousands of times over the years and never had he paused before entering feeling as if he was about to meet his doom. Now here he was looking at the large sprawling mansion as if it was going to jump out and bite him. He really did not want to go in there, she was in there.

She might not have been his ex wife but the similarities in not only appearance but personality repulsed him. From her little snickers at comments people made to the evil glint she got whenever she looked at Josef, it was an all too familiar reminder of Coraline. Her scent was everywhere as if she had wandered all over the property which was probably true since she seemed to be such close friends with Josef.

"Are you planning on standing out there all night or are you going to come in?" Josef asked Mick blinked and he saw Josef standing on the other side of the glass wall waving at him.

"I'm coming." He mumbled internally sighing as the decay of the older vampire washed over him.

"What can I do for you Mick?" Josef asked moving to recline on his favorite chair. Mick stopped and stared at his friend, something was off.

"I wanted to talk about Liz." Mick said his eyes narrowed when he saw Josef stiffen.

"Not again." He heard the older vampire mutter. "What about her?"

"How do you know she and that Roxy girl are not making this up? How do you know that this is not some ploy of Coraline's?" Mick asked noticing that with each word he spoke the expression on Josef's face grew harder.

"Mick sit down." Josef said his clipped tone sending unknown emotions spiraling through Mick. He had never heard Josef so short with him. "I have had enough of this, you and Liz mean a lot to me and you two will get along even if I have to lock you in a bomb shelter till you do." He growled.

"Doubtful that we will ever get along. To her I am just the little human that got turned out of line." Mick grouched.

Josef looked at him and sighed closing his eyes, he knew that he was going to be breaking Liz's trust by telling Mick her story but he knew that it had to be done if the two were ever going to get along. "Mick, Liz is nothing like Coraline and exactly like her at the same time."

"I got that."

"No you don't." Josef growled his blue cold eyes stilling Mick in his seat. "You only think you do. If anyone has a reason to hate Coraline it is Liz. You were in love with Coraline when she took your life but she didn't kill the ones you loved." Josef said.

"What! Josef Coraline took my choice away she…"

"Turned you. I know but at least you didn't see a very human Coraline kill your entire family, you didn't have your husband and three children murdered by your little sister." Josef huffed out an annoyed breath when he saw none of this was registering with Mick. "You were the only one affected by Corlaine. She did not go after all the people you care about in a fit of rage."

"So Corlaine killed Liz's family?" Mick asked.

"Right." Josef said. "I can't go into full details but let's just say you suffered very little compared to Liz."

"But Josef she threatened me she…"

"Was trying to protect herself." That one stopped Mick.

"Really?" It was obvious that Mick was not buying that answer. "Liz attacking me is a form of protection?"

"She might have threatened you Mick but trust me she never attacked you. She is far too smart to go just after you. Think about things from her point of view Mick." Josef said as the young vampire stopped his pacing.

"What point would that be?"

Josef clenched his teeth as he fought the urge to kill his best friend. "You have been told all your immortal existence that you can't turn anyone, not even a dying loved one without your sire and family consent." Josef said and Mick nodded. "Then one day your little sister who murdered your human family goes and turns some human musician that you have never heard of and know your sire did not sanction."

"Okay I get that it was not fair but…"

Josef growled silencing Mick. "Nope you don't get it yet keep listening. Then said musician turns around and scorns the gift he was given he shuns something that you would have given everything you had to give to a dying friend. He then kills said sister who even if you hate your sister you still love her. Odd but the whole love hate relationship is so you. Then one day your sister finds out that there might be a way to get back into the brooding vampire's good graces…turn human again so she goes out and does it."

"Okay not getting how that would make Liz mad." Mick agreed.

"Keep listening Mick it will come to you." Mick listened as Josef filled him in on Liz's life in Roswell and other aspects of her life, but it was when he got to Beth that he flinched and it all came crashing down on him.

"Shit." Mick breathed, "She really does see me as a traitor." Mick said.

"Yup." Josef said glad that Mick was finally seeing the light.

"So yesterday when I was being mean about Coraline I was just…"

"Pissing her off to no end and solidifying her beliefs." Josef said.

"I didn't mean to."

"She knows that…now. Just back off her a bit and she will do the same with you. She needs to get familiar with you so that she does not keep seeing this blaring reminder. Give her time please?" Josef asked practically begging.

"Sure. Now can we discuss what I really came over here to discuss other than Liz."

"What?" Josef asked getting up to go to the wet bar.

"Beth."

"What about Blondie?"

"I am worried about her, being around all these vampires is not safe for her. I don't think she realizes that I mean yesterday if I hadn't been there Alex would have attacked her." Mick said.

Josef chocked on the blood laced with liquor that filled his mouth and throat. "Whao." Josef said a faint smirk crossing his face. "Mick. Alex was not going to attack Beth. He has much more control than that. Trust me if he was going to you wouldn't be able to stop him."

Mick gave his friend a sour look. "He is just a fledgling."

"The fledgling of an ancient. He is stronger than you think. Besides Beth's blood might smell tempting but your scent taints it, he wouldn't want it, it's a guy thing you wouldn't understand." Josef said waving a hand at him.

Mick nodded, "Yeah you're probably right." He said but then paused mentally running over what Josef had just said. "Hey!"

LAX Airport

"Stupid human contraptions." He growled darkly. "This is why I never travel."

"You are right very distasteful. Perhaps we should invest in a private jet of our own." The younger man said cowering away from the tall lethal form of the older gentleman.

"Hardly. I see of no use for it." He snapped. "Lance where do we head from here?" He turned and asked the disfigured vampire on his right who looked indifferent.

"Josef's. We need to check in with the tribe leader." He sneered. The little man next to the group gulped as he watched the crowd of men all giving off the rather unpleasant stench of death. He knew that the only reason he was kept around was to do their bidding, he was their grunt man. The others were so powerful and impressive that he almost always found himself messing up in front of them, which caused him to be punished.

"Ah yes Josef Kostantin, this should be pleasant." The man said his amber eyes sweeping the crowd. "Ah there she is." He sighed a small smile gracing his harsh features, the other men around him stopping and smirking.

"Daddy." She squealed rushing towards him. To the occupants of the large airport it looked as if a teenage girl had just seen her father, but to the immortals it was a creator welcoming its masterpiece home.

"Ah my Elise." He breathed as her small form clung to him.

"Boys." She said smiling at them a few of them rolling their eyes at her.

"Always was a daddy's girl." One muttered getting an elbow to the ribs from one and a glare from Liz.

"Come on Josef needs to see you. This is so cool this is the first time you have been here to the New World. Oh there is so much to see I have to take you to museums around here you would find them laughable." Liz giggled tugging on the man's hand.

Liz turned to take them to the waiting cars nervously biting her lip. She just hoped Josef and Roxy knew what they were doing. Last night after her little reunion with Josef he filled her in on the plan that had been left out of the group conversation, not wanting Mick, Alex, and Beth to know. Apparently bringing Laurent to the New World was key to their plan. Now all Liz had to do was make sure her brothers and sire didn't kill St. John while Josef and Roxy manipulated the hell out of everyone.


	9. Ivan the Terrible V

Part 8: Ivan the Terrible V

_It is sad that it is so easy to trick someone who trusts you. They feel they can count on you and trust you not to turn against them. They are stupid. It is the nature of the beast to want to always get ahead to be better than the others and use any means necessary to get what it wants. It is that blind faith in the person that allows the deceiver to go about their business. Sometimes people are too trusting._

Roxy sat in her high wingback chair glaring at the girl in front of her. She hated the sight of her, the smell of her and that damn insufferable laugh. She walked around her home as if she owned the damn place and always sent snide little smiles her way. She hated her with a fiery passion, but she refrained from killing the little wretch.

Ivan didn't know what was wrong. He sensed his mate was angry with him but over what he couldn't come up with anything. He knew that Coraline was not her favorite person but he thought the little French woman was such a sweet little thing that he thought his wife would get over it. Apparently he was wrong. He had been watching their interactions the past few hours and noticed with alarming clarity that his wife was contemplating leaving just to get away from the girl.

Then there was Alex, sweet loveable Alex. Ivan had met the young fledgling when his wife had turned him. He remembered how even with the blood lust he was a warm and caring soul; so his utter hatred and hostility towards Coraline shocked him. He knew that he had only been around Alex for a short time but he knew that this was not normal behavior.

Roxy stood her eyes floating away from Coraline to her husband. "I am going out." Her song like voice broke their tense silence. "I will not be back until tomorrow morning." She sighed as Alex moved with her not wanting to be away from his sire for too long.

"Where are you going?" Coraline asked her dark eyes narrowed at the blonde.

"That is her business little one." Ivan said his voice gruff startling the petite woman. "She is free to do as she wishes, no one commands my little Roksana." Ivan said as she glided away her fledgling hot on her heels.

"He is like a damn puppy dog." Coraline spat once Alex was out of hearing range. Her face pulled into a nasty contortion. "He always follows her around and is always looking to do something for her."

Ivan looked at the girl with a blank expression never revealing his true thoughts to her, "He is a fledgling. You remember what it was like to be one and to have one. The connection is strong for the first year and the need to have the other in constant sight is overwhelming at times especially when the sire is upset. I believe Alex is feeling Roksana's anger and is unconsciously staying close for either protection or comfort."

Coraline looked away bitter thoughts raging over her. "I don't remember my fledgling ever being clingy."

"Yes at times there are exceptions. Sometimes when a fledgling feels betrayed or feels they cannot trust their sire they tend to shy away. The emotions are still there and the need to be close but it is constantly at war with them it is a constant battle of emotions." Ivan said studying the girl before him carefully.

"But Mick loved me we were married that is more trust than…"

Ivan closed his eyes as he cut off the start of a tirade, "Being married to someone does not always mean you trust them." He whispered. His green eyes oddly pained.

"What are you saying you don't trust your wife?" Coraline asked eagerly awaiting his answer.

"Of course I trust her." Ivan said, "She is more to me than just a wife Corlaine and that is a distinction you have never made. I know your sire tried to impress this on you but apparently it never took."

"What else is there besides wife?"

"Roxy is not just a wife to me she is my mate. It is a much deeper level of commitment than just a spouse. Your relationship with St. John was that of a spouse, nothing more." Ivan said his green eyes guarded again. "Mick left you the first chance he had when you went too far. Roxy though." A ghost of a smile crossed his ashen face. "Even if I am a terrible monster and she abhors what I am doing, would never desert me."

Roswell

He couldn't bring himself to care, he knew that made him a bastard in the eyes of his family but he couldn't bring himself to care. Michael glared at the shaking form of his leader on his bed and wanted to push him off.

"Don't worry Max we will get her back." Isabel said rubbing his back. Kyle looked up and glanced Michael with a 'what the hell' look which Michael returned.

"I can't believe she left." Max whispered.

"I can." Maria muttered but shut up when Isabel leveled her with an icy glare that could freeze even the warmest blood.

"How could she leave me though?" Max asked.

"Maxwell you were the one that wanted her to move on and have a normal life." Michael grunted remembering all of the times he had ranted and raved to him about how Liz needed to get out of this life. "Remember this was your idea. You were the one that wanted Liz left in the dark. We were just following your orders as usual."

"Maria." Max whispered sitting up to look at the blonde. His face was a desperate puppy mask as he looked into her green eyes begging her silently for help, but when she did not respond he went on. "Please you can convince her she is your best friend please I need to talk to her I need to make her understand."

Maria started shaking slightly all of this hitting her hard. She wanted to call Liz but she couldn't it's not like Liz gave her a number. Liz was effectively dead, she was not coming back. "I can't." Maria whispered turning her faced into Michael's chest as sobs overtook her. Michael held her close glaring at Max over her head.

"She can't Max." Kyle huffed. Max looked at the sheriff's son in confusion; he had not heard him this annoyed since the summer after his healing. "Liz didn't exactly leave a calling card. Her parents are the only ones who know how to contact her and they are not budging on this. Maria and I aren't allowed to speak to her. Apparently Mr. P is afraid that we are going to upset her more." Kyle said letting out a bitter hiss of breath.

Max's pale face puckered slightly as the news hit him. He had really lost her; there was no way for him to make up for his stupid mistakes this time.

"I could try and dream walk her." Isabel suddenly suggested. Max instantly perked up at the idea but it was Michael who startled everyone.

"Hell no." He barked. "There is no way we are making this any worse for her. Max, she is hurt worse than you probably think. She needs to be left alone just like you wanted. Focus on finding your son Max and leave Liz alone. Please Max if you ever loved Liz you would just leave her alone." His voice was soft as it cracked. Isabel stared at her brother her eyes widening.

"Oh god." She whispered. "Liz isn't coming back."

Los Angeles

"Okay breathe." She instructed herself. "You have been here hundreds of times and you have yet to be scared." She whispered looking through the large glass walls. "Except before there was never a fledgling inside and Mick not here to protect me." Beth squeaked.

"Blondie." Josef's voice startled her out of her pep talk. She had not even seen him approaching let alone heard him until he was right in front of her. "Ready yet?" He asked trying not to smirk at her wide eyed expression.

"You heard that?" She asked looking sheepishly at him as a full blown grin spread over his face.

"Yup. Everyone did. Liz is practically rolling on the ground laughing. Poor Alex is offended he keeps mumbling 'I have more control than that' over and over again." Josef said. "Now come on before Liz busts her gut open; she has yet to stop laughing." Josef said leading a red faced Beth into his house.

"So why can't Mick be here?" Beth asked as she entered the house the large door closing with a whoosh. She tried to control her racing heartbeat knowing that it would be all the more alluring for Alex the new vampire.

"You'll see." Josef muttered pausing before he led Beth into his home office. "Beth I need you to promise me something." Josef said looking more serious than she had ever seen him before.

"Alright." She said her eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Beth I am serious here. You have to promise me that what you see and hear in there will not get back to Mick. No matter what Beth he can't find out about this meeting." Josef said his dark eyes stating darkly into hers. The hairs on the back of her pale neck stood on end as she stared into the deadly eyes of a predator.

"I promise, but what the hell could be so bad that he can't find out?" Beth asked immediately feeling guilty for promising to withhold information from her boyfriend, but she knew that if Josef was telling her not to it was in Mick's best interest; he always had Mick's best interest at heart.

"Okay, now there are some ground rules here." Josef said stealing a glance at the closed door where he knew the others were listening. "Stay by me and Roxy at all times Beth and I mean all times. If I say run you run, if I say stay down you stay." He said and all Beth could do was nod the feeling of dread growing into a sick ball in her stomach. He seemed to take that as a promise so he continued. "Stay to the fringes and if someone asks you a question answer and answer truthfully not how you think they want you to answer, it's important." Josef said.

"Okay." She whispered taking a deep breath.

"Good." Josef said flashing her a grin as he opened the door. The office was lavish as everything with him was, but that was not what shocked the small blonde reporter. No what shocked her was the large number of people occupying the small space.

She let out a small huff of surprise making Josef chuckle. "Everyone this is Beth Turner. Beth meet the Aesir." At least twenty blue cold eyes flicked to her all taking her in assessing her worth.

"Beth Turner." A deep timber voice rang out. Josef moved closer to her slightly and she noticed Roxy shifted in her seat as the man stepped forward. "We meet at last." The slight French accent rang through the air.

She looked at him confused eliciting a dark laugh from him and a few others. "Forgive me little one I forget that you know nothing of me." His fangs peaked out from behind plump lips as he grinned. "I am Laurent."


	10. Ivan the Terrible VI

Part 9: Ivan the Terrible VI

_Humans have always worked under the notion that myths have no basis in reality. They believe that a myth is a silly little tale old women have thought up to put a senseless lesson into the minds of the young. Little do the humans realize that even the most eccentric myths have some grain of truth to them. _

Her brown eyes blinked at him several times confusing shining through making him chuckle darkly. "Oh." Beth gasped her eyes widening at the man in front of her. "It is a pleasure to meet you." She said mentally concentrating on keeping her heart beat normal.

Laurent studied the girl his wicked grin widening with each passing second. The smell of her blood was familiar to him something so sweet that he has tasted many times, but he has yet to encounter this century or the last. "Such an intoxication." Laurent breathed his ice blue eyes dancing over Beth's form. "If I had not breathed you in myself I would have thought it a mistake." Roxy hissed softly her pale eyes glaring sharply at Laurent who chuckled and backed away.

"Okay so what is going on?" Beth asked moving back as Josef's strong cold hand guided her into a seat away from the majority of the group.

"Coraline has been swayed by Ivan." Roxy said her eyes slowly changing back to their warm honey color. "We needed to move up our plans."

"What do you mean she has been swayed?" A large bulky male asked hovering protectively behind Liz, Beth noticed his slicing glares directed at Josef. "She is not one to bend to the will of others."

"When it works to her advantage she will." Josef said eliciting several low growls from the far side of the room.

"Gentlemen." Roxy's soft voice sounded warm and kind but Beth could distinctly hear the warning.

"What has she agreed to?" Liz asked her small hand moving behind her to rest on the hand of the large male.

"She likes the idea of enslaving the humans…she is even more overjoyed that it is her blood that can do this." Roxy said the slight curl of her pale pink lip betrayed her distaste for Coraline.

"She likes having the power over others." Laurent agreed his face looked pinched and drawn. "But to make the humans slaves…"

"Is exactly like her." Liz said. "We need to stop fighting about what she would and would not do and just accept the situation for what it is. Corlaine is working against us. This is no longer a rescue mission. We need to put a stop to this."

"Coraline has already donated her blood and he has begun his work. He needs to start off with the compound. Fortunetly for us he has little idea how to create it, but he is making progress. From there he is planning the manipulations." Roxy said.

"How is the security?" Josef asked

"He is a lot like you." Alex said speaking up, Beth took note of the surprise carefully hidden on many faces. "He uses brute force, skilled people trained in the art of killing and technology to get the job done. Except he has one major difference." Alex said chancing a glance at Roxy. She let out an unneeded huff of breath but nodded her head.

"What?" Josef asked looking irritated that someone had a better security system than he did.

"Well he has Roxy. See Ivan knows that if anyone was to ever attack him directly that his mate would step in, you don't have that extra protection." Alex said.

"Wait what does that mean?" Beth asked her curiosity getting the better of her. "I thought that Roxy was his wife." Beth said.

"She is." Liz said smiling at Beth wanting to make her more comfortable, she knew this was a terrifying situation for the young woman. "But she is also his mate. See with our species there is a fine distinction between the two that can mean a very big difference."

"I am married to Ivan and I don't always agree with what he does but I would never be the one to hurt him." Roxy said. "I could just lead others to do so even if it hurts." Her musical voice tickled Beth's ears.

"Damn." Josef muttered. "I didn't see it before." He hissed rubbing his forehead.

"What?" The bulky male asked.

"If I attack Ivan, Roxy will attack me." Josef said.

"But her instincts will fight against it." Liz said and Laurent nodded in agreement.

"The connection between sire and creation never really goes away it is hard to fight it." Laurent agreed.

"But if it is between a mate and a child the mate takes precedence." Roxy said.

"That sounds very backwards." Beth muttered.

"You are thinking about it from a human perspective." Liz said chancing a glance at Josef. "When you are faced with eternity, forever is a long time. Having a mate beside you is the better option it makes the time more bearable so when you are faced with the choice of your mate or your child, you chose your mate." Liz said.

"Great." Beth breathed. "This means someone not connected to Roxy has to fight Ivan." Beth said mentally ticking off Josef, Alex, and the blonde herself. "So someone else in this room will have to do it because you are the only ones powerful enough to do it. It won't be Liz because she is so young and it can't be any of her brothers. Laurent is a possibility and that other male ancient I think you said his name is Alby." Beth said her eyes unfocused as she mentally went through conversations.

"Albert." A strong British voice huffed. Beth's head snapped in the direction of the voice only to meet the sneer face of a tall pale male with platinum hair and narrowed ice blue eyes. "The name is Albert, and whoever called me Alby will have their head removed" His eyes snapped to Josef who just grinned at him.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Josef muttered.

"Good." He droned. Beth was struck by how old Albert actually looked; he was by far the oldest looking man in the room, around his late forties.

"There was also two women ah Panny and Vala."

"Pandora and Valia darling." An amused voice said. "I am Pandora, she is Valia." A pale slender finger attached to a dark jet black haired beauty pointed towards a short redhead.

"Beth has a point." Josef said.

"I do?"

"It would have to be one of the four of you. No one else is powerful enough to take on Ivan."

Beth looked at Roxy and saw a dark resigned look on her face and the guilt crashed down on her. Here they all were assembled together and they were discussing how best to kill this woman's mate, the person who stuck by her forever. It just didn't seem fair. Golden honey eyes turned to her and Beth's heart stopped. She knew when she saw the desperate loneliness in their depths that Roxy had already decided her fate; it was better to die than face eternity alone.

Beth's Apartment

She walked shakily through the door hours of hissed conversation fluttering around her mind. Blank looks and harsh comments all tugged at her but the worst was the look on Roxy's face; she knew it was coming.

Beth walked to her laptop and turned it on before she put on a pot of coffee. She needed to shower; Josef told her to do so right when she got home so that the scent of all the vampires would be diluted when Mick came by. If Mick caught scent of what they were doing than all of their plans would be ruined. She knew now that keeping him in the dark was the only way to keep him safe, he was not ready to go against the people Ivan had with him and she knew that Coraline's family was still looking to get at him.

The steam hit her and she felt the tension lessen in her shoulders, but it was not enough. "It is the right thing to do." Her whisper bounced on the tile walls sounding back to her.

She sat before her computer, her skin pink and damp as she typed in her search; Aesir. The word sounded familiar to her but she was not making a connection and it had been bugging her all night. She knew that if she just put the few missing pieces together several things about the night were going to make more sense.

Josef's snarled hisses and muttered words that she couldn't hear kept nagging at her, she knew that something was off; she was missing something and it was important. The others knew what it was and she was being left in the dark. This led her to believe that whatever they were hiding that to do with her or Mick if not both.

The search ended and numerous popup windows for Norse gods and myths appeared. "What the…"

"Aesir, Norse warrior race of gods. Idavoll or Ida is believed to be their secret meeting place called only in times of great strife. Blood will flow like water and the stench of death fills the air for days." She read. "Vampires." She breathed.

Josef's Home

"She knows something is wrong." Liz said tracing a finger over the clear glass overlooking the valley.

"Beth has always been rather observant sometimes too much for her own good." Josef agreed.

"She saw something though. Something spooked her I heard it in her heartbeat." Her brown eyes flew to his "Something that the rest of us didn't."

"That is not surprising. But did she hear what we said?" Josef asked.

"No she was too preoccupied to try and figure it out. Alex made sure of it." Liz said turning back to the window.

A solid arm slid around her tiny waist as she continued to gaze outside her brown eyes staring into the distance. "This does not feel right." She hissed closing her eyes "I feel as if I am sending her to her death." Liz said turning in the steel embrace to face his pale gaze.

"When the time comes she will chose what her heart is telling her to. Beth will do what she feels she has to." Josef whispered.

"Even if it means getting herself killed." Liz sighed, "She really does love him."

"Which is why this is going to work."

Ivan and Roksana's Home

Alex watched her as she slowly drank from the male, tears of sadness rolling down his dark cheeks as she drank her emotions spilling into him. Her blue eyes remained blank as she drank and it frightened him. His sire was upset but he didn't know why and he wanted to whimper and try to fix it. He heard the male's heartbeat slow and Roksana removed her mouth from his arm, for some reason choosing to go without his neck. She licked the wound closed and turned to look at him, his little freshie sleeping peacefully next to him.

"You should go to your freezer, you need rest." She said and he slowly moved to comply. The strong air of decay doubled in the room and he knew Ivan was there. Without looking at the ancient man he left the room. When he got to the end of the hall he chanced a glance into the room and saw his sire tucked under the powerful arm of the ancient male clinging tightly to him as she stroked his arm. He turned away from the sight feeling an overwhelming pain settle over him when he realized why her freshie wept. She was going to lose her mate.


	11. Blood so Sweet

Part 10: Blood So Sweet

_Blood. It is the essence of life, the binding that ties all life on earth together, even those half dead. Its gentle rhythm calls to those of the night drawing them in and the sweet scent practically rolls over the tongue. The craving is deep and primal; one scent of it can drive even the oldest of our kind over the edge. Some blood though is different than others. Some blood has a magical ring to it that makes every vampire mouth water. The blood of the dark it is called and little does my best friend know, but his little pet's blood is that very sweetness. _

Alex was an excited ball of energy; he was never like this for her. As they walked up the driveway he practically bounced along radiating excitement. "What?" She finally asked as he turned his eager gaze on her.

"It's a girls night." He laughed. "I have missed these terribly."

"A what?" Roxy asked as they paused at the door.

"A girls night." Alex said rolling his eyes as he opened the door to Liz's apartment.

"I have no idea what that is, Liz only told me to bring a pair of pajamas and we were going to have a girls night." Roxy said if she was able to blush she would have.

"Oh Rox you will love it. We gossip about boys, or in my case girls, we eat, watch movies and then pass out." Alex said wincing as the morning sun started to rise. He was still sensitive to the sun and would be for another year while he was still in his fledgling stage.

"Alright." Roxy sighed as they stepped inside. The cool temperature soothed their skin as the scent of fresh blood washed over them.

"Hello my little friends!" Liz giggled as she bounced into the room in a red tank top and matching boy shorts. "Welcome Roxy to your first girls night or day technically." Liz said as a knock sounded on the door.

Alex sniffed the air and grinned at his friend, "Lizzie I didn't know you ordered take out." He chuckled wincing when Roxy hit him in the stomach as Liz opened the door grinning madly.

"Hi Beth!"

Josef's Home

"Josef!" Mick roared barging into the four hundred year old vampire's home. Josef looked up from his spot behind his desk not at all surprised that the vampire was there before him.

"What can I do for you Mick?" His casual question seemed to enrage the other male more.

"Why the hell is your scent all over Beth's home, hell her scent is all over this office." Mick growled.

"Knew I forgot the office." Josef muttered. "Her scent is here because she was here Mick."

"Why?" Mick asked taking a seat knowing that Josef was in fine form that morning which meant that it was going to take awhile.

"Because I needed to talk." Josef said rubbing his forehead, he could feel that his skin was warm letting him know what his mood was already telling him, he needed his freezer.

"About what?" Mick ground out.

"It is nothing that concerns you." Josef said turning back to his work hoping that Mick would take the hint and leave, but luck was not with him that morning.

"She is my girlfriend of course it concerns me." Mick snapped. Josef could feel his anger rising as he calmly turned to his friend.

"Really? Tell me Mick, how does my relationship troubles concern you?"

Mick stared at his friend in shock. "What? How would Beth be involved in any of your relationship problems unless…" Mick's mind jumped all over the place from one scenario to the next each one enraging the beast in him even more.

Josef could see his friend was coming to the wrong conclusions and decided to step in and correct him before he did something stupid. "Not that you idiot." Josef huffed straightening his tie. "It was about Sara."

"Oh." Mick said the tension uncoiling in his body. "What about her?" Mick asked feeling like a lousy friend all of the sudden.

Josef knew he had to think fast, Mick showing up was unexpected. "I am thinking of getting back together with Liz." He blurted out the first thing that came to mind, unfortunately for him it was also the truth.

Mick stared at him in shock. "What?" He croaked.

Josef fidgeted in his chair like a little kid not wanting to get personal with Mick, those were never fun conversations and it always left him feeling like a girl. "I was with Liz about a hundred years ago, when she first moved to the New World. We were both in New Orleans at the time, she was an inn keeper and I was a lawyer. We were together for a few different lives until we moved to New York." Josef said.

"Until you met Sara." Mick said but Josef shook his head.

"No until Laurent called her back to France. He has never been very fond of me and did not want to take the chance of his little Elise mating with me." Josef said.

"So how does Sara come into this?" Mick asked.

"I met Sara after I dropped Liz off at the docs. She was taking an ocean liner back to France and I was miserable but I had to get by. I went to the train station on my way to a business meeting and that was when I met Sara." Josef said.

"So you were in love with Liz still when you met Sara."

"Right." Josef released an unneeded breath. "I never stopped loving Liz, she is different than any girl I have ever been with." Josef said.

"Yeah I know that feeling." Mick said. "But are you sure about Liz?" His prejudice against her family peaking out.

"Seeing her again a few days ago brought a lot of feelings out that I didn't realize I still had. She enters a room and I swear the world freaking stops." Josef said letting out and unintentional laugh. "She talks and all I hear are little songs."

"Someone is in love and from the sound of it you have been for a long time." Mick said. It was as if he was seeing his friend in a new light. When he first heard about Sara it was as if he was seeing Josef as a man for the first time and not another monster. Hearing about Liz and the way Josef talked about her though was a new experience for Mick. In all the years he has known Josef he never knew him to smile and laugh for the hell of it and the animation in his pale face was new. He knew that he was seeing Josef as not only a man but as a human.

Liz's Apartment

Beth looked at the three vampires in front of her nervously shifting back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Hi Liz. Alex Roxy." She said nodding at them. Roxy smiled at her as Liz dragged the small blonde into her apartment.

"See I even invited our human friend." Liz giggled. "Don't worry Beth I made some human snacks for you." Liz said bouncing around like a child on a sugar high.

"Is she normally like this?" Beth asked Alex in a stage whisper. Alex looked at the girl who was older than him and grinned, he liked that she was not afraid of him.

"When no one is around to see and judge her, yup. Lizzie is a little ball of energy."

"I believe Josef calls her his energizer bunny." Roxy said with a satisfied smirk.

"Eww." Alex hissed.

"It's good that he has someone who can keep up with him." Beth said grinning at Liz. "Others just make him board and cranky." Beth said making Roxy and Liz laugh.

"We have to keep her." Roxy said between giggles.

"She is fun, she is like a Maria, Amy mix with a little Kyle thrown in." Alex said and Liz nodded.

"She really is." Liz agreed looping an arm around Beth's waist being mindful of her strength to not hurt the girl. "Okay so first on our list tonight is gossip." Liz said pushing Beth onto the couch next to Alex who looped an arm around her.

"You are going to love this." Alex chuckled.

Around midday the four were rolling on the ground laughing. "No you did not." Beth hissed between breathy laughs as Alex sipped his blood in a glass.

"I did!" Roxy said laughing as well. "I walked into the room in plastic wrap and asked him if he wanted to unwrap his present."

"Oh that is too funny." Liz giggled. "But I have done worse."

"How?" Alex asked.

"Red bow party of one." Beth muttered and Liz's eyes snapped to her.

"How the hell did you know!" She screeched happily.

"Hello, college!" Beth smiled drinking her water.

"No wonder Josef gets a kick out of you." Liz laughed. "You have an adventurous side."

"Does St. John let you show it?" Alex asked wiggling his eyebrows.

Beth's face turned several different shades of red before it settled on a sunburn color. "Mick can be very...enthusiastic at times." Beth said biting her lip.

"In other words he is a secret freak." Alex said and Beth nodded.

"He likes a little kink in the mix at times others no."

"That is normal for our kind, it is a power play and we like a little roughness." Roxy said and Beth nodded.

"I have the bruises to prove it."

"Wounds of love Beth wounds of love." Liz giggled.

Roswell

Max sipped at his hot sauce laced cherry soda staring at the swinging back door. Nancy Parker had just taken a sobbing Maria into the back room followed by a sullen Michael. He knew something was wrong but he knew that if Jeff Parker saw him hanging around he would be dead.

"Hey Kyle." He called when the sheriffs son entered the alien themed café.

"Max." Kyle said reluctantly sitting across from him.

"Why is Maria upset?" Max asked pointing to the backroom.

"Oh I guess they finally told her and Michael." Kyle said looking dejected.

"Told them what?" Max didn't know why but he had a sinking suspicion that what was going to come out of Kyle' mouth was going to upset him more than he would like.

"That they are selling the café." Kyle sighed.

Max felt as if someone had slammed a truck into his chest as the air rushed out of him. "What?" He gasped out in a strained whisper.

"The Parker's decided that with Liz gone they have no need to stick around Roswell, they have no more family here so they are selling the place to Amy and heading to Florida to leave near Nancy's sister." Kyle explained ripping at the napkin in his hands.

"When was this decided?" Max asked.

"Well we knew it was a possibility once Liz left but yesterday the Parker's approached Amy with this and she talked to my dad about it and they both thought it was a good idea so Amy bought the place for a steal and now the Parker's are moving." Kyle said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"She isn't coming back? Like ever?"

"Nope." Kyle said. "She blew this popsicle stand and then some."


	12. Blood so Sweet II

Part 11: Blood So Sweet II

_It's strange how just one breeze can stir a scent that erupts a wave of emotions in a person. Warm apple pie brings up memories of home and mom baking Sunday dessert, or how the scent of chlorine reminds you of the time your best friend pushed you in the pool in middle school while she was trying to show off for a boy. Scent is a funny thing, it is a stronger force than more realize. For my boyfriend and the new friends I have made, scent is a vital part of their lives. Without scent they would be lost._

Josef waited a beat or two for Mick to leave and when he was sure that the vampire PI was gone he pressed the green button on his phone. Karl the head of his security entered the private office waiting for his orders.

"I want two men on him at all times. Make sure he doesn't do something stupid. Oh and make sure Miss Turner gets home alright. She is at Elise's." Josef said leaning back in his chair as his silent guard nodded exiting in a whisper.

He could sense trouble brewing on the horizon, trouble that for once had nothing to do with Coraline and everything to do with Mick St. John. Unfortunately Josef also had the sinking suspicion that it was going to involve Liz somehow, and that was not sitting well with him.

Beth's POV

The small blonde sighed and flopped onto her couch. It was only nine at night but she felt dead to the world, which was probably due to her being up for almost twenty four hours straight. Before she could move her eyes fluttered closed and she was out like a light.

It felt as if no time had passed at all before she was woken up by deep snarling growls. Her brown eyes blinked open and she saw Mick's face a breath away from hers; his blue cold eyes glaring at her in a deadly stare. "Mick." She breathed trying to sit up but a warning growl ripped from his chest prevented her from moving.

"You. Smell. Of. Vampires." He growled his nose running along her skin sending gooseflesh across the tan surface.

"Oh." She squeaked her heart hammering in her chest, panic seizing her. "I knew I forgot something." She muttered biting her lip when she realized she had said the last part out loud.

"What did you forget Beth?" He asked his nose practically toughing hers.

"To shower." She whispered her eyes wide. Mick stiffened and a pained growl was released from deep in his chest. His cold solid hands wound around her arms pulling her closer to him.

"Why?" He hissed.

"Because they said you would not like their scent on me that it would make you mad. I was just so tired when I got home that I forgot." Beth muttered trying to shrink back but his steel like grip kept her in place, she could have sworn she was literally seeing the beast in her boyfriend charge forward.

Mick pressed his nose to her neck and she knew that he was using his smelling ability to get a visual of what she had been doing and who she had been doing it with. "Liz." He snarled recoiling away from her.

"Yes. I was at her place. We were having a girls night." Beth said crossing her arms over her chest not liking how angry he looked.

"I smell a male on you Beth try again." He snapped.

"Alex was there of course but he doesn't' count!" She shouted jumping up. Big mistake. The predator in her boyfriend did not like the sudden movement and he had her pinned to the couch in a second a deep growl escaping his throat as he stared at her.

"Alex…"

Beth quickly cut him off not wanting growling Mick to come back, it was not the sexy possessive growling he did when he was usually with her but an angry possessive freak out growl and she wanted it to stop. "He and Liz had them back when he was human they called them girl nights it was a gossip session and it was just harmless fun Mick."

"Beth a fledgling was there without his sire…"

"Roxy was there though." Beth said cringing when she saw his nose brush against her again and his blue eyes narrowed.

"Why were you there though?" Mick asked.

"Liz asked me!"

"And you just decided to go!" He bellowed his eyes returning to their piercing brown. "Did you even stop to wonder if it was safe to be in an apartment with a bunch of vampires you don't know when I am not there?"

"No! I asked Josef if it was okay first." Beth said glaring at him watching as Mick froze.

"What!"

Beth realized too late that was the wrong thing to say. "I asked Josef first." She muttered.

Mick stood up and his hands went to his head as he tried to calm down, yelling at his girlfriend was going to get him nowhere. "Why would you do that?" he asked.

"Well they are his friends so I figured he would be a better judge of if they are safe or not. He warned me about not wearing any sweet perfumes around Alex and controlling my heartbeat so that I was not too appealing to him. He said that Liz and Roxy were safe though. I knew that asking you would not be a good idea." Beth muttered looking away from his grumpy stare.

"Oh really?"

"Well you did make it apparent that you have no love for Liz and Roxy and they are not your biggest fans so I figured I would go to the one person who was impartial to all of this."

"Josef isn't exactly impartial." Mick grumbled looking at the ceiling.

"If you are referring to his relationship with Liz and Roxy being his sire you are wrong." Mick stared at her with wide eyes. "If anything it makes him more cautious. He knows what kind of trouble they get into and he has issues with both. I knew he would tell me the straight truth and not sugar coat it or turn it sour like some people." Beth said her eyes narrowing on her boyfriend who had the grace to at least look abashed.

"I just don't like you putting yourself in danger like this. I still don't think you get how dangerous these people are." Mick sighed sitting down wearily on the couch next to her.

"Oh believe me I get it, I have seen it and heard it many times."

Mick shot her a look of utter disbelief. "Then why do you insist on hanging out with a room full of monsters?"

Beth let out a frustrated huff rolling her eyes at him. "Maybe because some of those PEOPLE are nice. I like Liz she is sweet and reminds me a lot of my roommate from college. Alex is the cutest little thing ever he is so bashful and playful it is hilarious and Roxy is just plain old nice."

"More like plain old." Mick muttered.

"Hey!" Beth hissed. "No age comments." She snipped and he held up his hands in surrender.

Mick sighed lopping an arm around her shoulders tucking her into his side placing a sweet kiss on her forehead. "I don't think you and Josef talking is a good idea." Mick said. "The two of you alone are danger magnets but together…you are a global catastrophe waiting to happen."

Josef's Home

Mondays were skin days and always fun. Tuesdays are slow and sultry he always liked the wait. Wednesdays were all about the chase to satisfy his hungry predator. Thursdays were her days and more special than words could describe. Fridays were simple and sweet and perfect for both of them. Saturdays were days of fulfillment and never left either of them wanting. Sundays were his days and always made her heart sing.

Liz bit her lip as she stood at the garage waiting to go inside. She could tell that he was on the phone with someone shouting at them that he would rip their throat out if they didn't change the report before it hit his desk. She always loved his hostile nature. She tugged at the unnecessary short trench coat and giggled. She peaked inside the coat one more time and giggled again. "I am so going to have to thank Nan for this." Liz said smiling fondly as she remembered her friend who had posed as her mother for the past few years. Liz adjusted her hair one last time flicking a dark curl away from her face and strutted into the house letting the full power of decay seep out around her. She knew the instant Josef had sensed her approach, the small pleased growl giving him away.

She could sense him shifting around in his office, the sound of his suit rustling against the leather chair hitting her ears making her smile. Liz shook her head quickly and grinned when she felt her fangs descend and her eyes change to their crystal blue, just the way Josef liked them. The solid door in front of her made her smile as she tapped her foot against it knowing that he had already unlocked the door, her toe pushed it open and there sat Josef practically bouncing in his seat a wide grin on his face when he saw Liz.

"Josef." Liz purred slowly walking into the room knowing that her speed was going to drive him wild.

"Elise, sorry Liz." His little smirk told her more than any words could, he was excited.

"I missed you." Liz said pouting slightly. "All day the girls and I talked about our boys and I kept missing my Josef more and more until I just had to come over here tonight and see you." Liz said slinking around the desk hiding a smile when she felt his eyes follow her every move, trained on her hips.

"Must have been some conversation." Josef muttered as Liz pulled on one of her ties to her coat and slowly pealed the kaki colored coat open. Josef's eyes widened comically when he saw what was underneath. "Oh" He gasped out.

"Do you like your surprise?" She asked raising a thin brown eyebrow struggling to hold in a giggle at his bewildered expression.

"Yup." He said regaining his composure; his wicked grin crossing his face. "I am surprised you still have that." He said his cold hand reaching out to touch the soft satin white corset that Liz had worn the first time he met her in New Orleans. The only difference was that instead of old world undergarments, Liz was now rocking the latest fashions of satin boy shorts.

"Like I was going to throw this away!" She laughed his hand shot out suddenly and propelled her into his lap eliciting a delighted squeal from Liz.

"Well Elise…as much as I have always loved this on you." He grinned at her his hand darting around to her back and the intricate strings, with a practiced flick of his wrist the strings loosened. "I always loved it better off."

The ridiculous ringing of Josef's private line drew their attention away from each other in an annoying ring. "Leave it." Liz muttered nibbling on his jaw easily distracting him. The phone stopped ringing much to their delight only to start up again seconds later. Josef let out an annoyed huff and ripped the phone off its cradle.

"What?" He growled into the phone, his tone harsh enough to put the fear of death in even the bravest of souls. "Karl you better have a good reason for interrupting me otherwise I will get the flame thrower." Josef snarled listening as his head of security muttered something low enough that even Liz couldn't hear it next to him. "What!" Josef roared. "Fine I will be there in a second." Josef snapped slamming the phone back into place the black plastic snapping under the force.

"Josef?"

His angry expression softened slightly at her confused pout. "Apparently Mick is in an angry tirade over at Beth's. Karl is worried about Beth and wanted to know if he should intervene. Like I am going to let that happen." Josef grumbled. "I need to get over there to make sure she is alright and that Mick doesn't do something stupid." Josef growled.

Liz stiffened in his embrace a low growl sounding off the back of her throat. "He better not hurt her." She snarled her hand flying behind her to tighten her strings. "I will destroy him and everything he holds dear if he lays one finger on her!" Liz roared whipping her coat on.

"Elise…"

"Don't you Elise me!" Liz snapped her blue eyes warning him not to make her angry. Josef stood there for a second weighing his options, he knew that if he really wanted to he could force Liz not to come with him since he was more powerful but that would mean no sex and that was not something he was willing to go along with.

"Fine." He growled. "But no killing Mick unless I say you can." He snapped and Liz raced towards the garage knowing which car he was going to take without even asking. Soon the two were peeling away from the house at an alarming speed.

Josef chanced a glance at Liz as he raced down the streets of LA and saw Liz sitting tightly coiled in her seat. He knew that Liz was starting to feel protective of Beth, but he couldn't help but wonder why. There seemed to be something about the little blonde that seemed to get under every vampires skin and make them want to protect her and keep her close. Josef slammed on the brakes and parked next to Karl a ways down the street from Beth's apartment, just out of Mick's seeing and hearing range.

"He still in there?" Josef asked.

"Yes Mr. Kostan." Karl's deep voice said his eyes briefly glancing at Josef before they returned to the building. "He is calming down some but not enough." Josef strained to listen but gave up, he did not have the same talent that Karl had which was why he kept the big guy employed and well paid.

"Alright thank you Karl, Elise and I will take it from here." Josef said and the big body guard nodded grinning at Liz.

"Go get him Miss Elise." Karl whispered grinning when his boss sent him an annoyed look.

"Don't encourage her." Josef hissed pulling Liz away from the giant man. "She already has murderous tendencies no need to encourage them."

"Come on Josef let's go before I decide that your best friend looks better in a box on my mantle." Liz growled.

"Yes dear." The two quickly made their way to the door at the end of the hall on the second floor and Josef rapped on it sharply waiting a beat for someone to answer but being Josef he did not wait long and broke the lock on the door pushing it open.

"Josef!" Mick growled jumping up from the couch his eyes narrowing when Liz walked through the door as well.

"Beth are you alright?" Liz asked and the blonde nodded her head vigorously.

"Just a small misunderstanding." Beth said.

"Sure that is what they all say." Liz hissed only loud enough for Josef and Mick to hear. Mick snapped his eyes to her and let out an angry hiss.

"I would never hurt her." He said loud enough for Beth to hear. Beth's surprised gasp cut through the air but Liz ignored it.

"I can smell her fear." Liz snapped. "Take a whiff buddy."

"Liz…" Josef's tone cut off any possible threat she was about to toss out.

"How did you even know that I was here?" Mick asked.

"Lucky guess." Josef snapped. "Now mind explaining why you are all bent out of shape."

"More bent out of shape you mean." Liz muttered and Josef had to stop himself from snickering.

"I don't like Beth spending so much time with vampires especially when I am not around." Mick said.

"Why not?" Liz asked looking offended.

"It's not safe for her and I don't want her to be part of this life." Mick huffed not liking how Liz's eyes narrowed on him.

"Well she should get used to us because after she is turned we are going to be running in the same circles." Liz snapped.

"I am not turning her." Mick growled stepping towards her but Josef's matching growl stopped him short. Mick's eyes flashed to his friend and he saw Josef jerk his head no.

"Never said it was going to be you." Liz hissed her blue eyes sparkling with some unknown emotion that left Mick feeling off balance.

"You wouldn't." Mick growled.

"Fair is fair darling nephew, my sister turned you only fair I get to turn your girlfriend. After all she is part of my bloodline." Josef's head whipped around to Liz his eyes wide.

"Oh shit." He hissed. "Now I know why her blood smelled so familiar."


	13. Blood so Sweet III

Part 12: Blood So Sweet III

_Blood, it is more telling of a person than many realize. It can tell me what kind of life you live, how you are feeling, and who you are related to. Blood dances through veins and calls out to me and it is that same dance and hum that ties a bloodline together. Just looking at my girlfriend I can hear the sweet song in my ears a song that I have known since she was four. Now I have to deal with my love and the calling of her bloodline._

"What do you mean?"Beth asked playing with her necklace, a familiar nervous habit.

"Whose is she Liz?" Josef asked stepping closer to her to block out Mick's shaking form.

Liz looked at Josef willing him not to make her answer; it would give them all away. "Who?" Mick asked.

"Eduard." And Josef stopped realizing how the vampire had figured out who Beth belonged to. Josef's eyes were panicked for a moment before the storm stopped and he had regained himself.

"Oh I forgot he had children. Beth is one of his descendants?" Josef asked.

"His only descendant that is not a vampire." Liz said referring to her family's little habit.

"What does that mean?" Mick asked regaining some of his composure, Beth safely in his arms now.

"My sire loves our bloodline very much." Liz said her eyes fluttering to Beth. "Those who had children were turned and then their children turned. Only Eduard's daughter Martea was left, she was married off before my sire could get to her and by then it was too late she had children. She too was then turned but apparently he missed a child." Liz said grinning at Beth.

"Many people have Beth's blood type." Mick said but even he knew that was a lie.

"They may have her blood type but they do not have her bloodline, I can smell my family on her and I know you can as well Mick St. John." Liz hissed.

"She is not one of you." Mick grunted hugging her delicate form closer.

"She is, her heart even tells her she is. She is more aware of what is around her than you realize. She can sense that I am like her and that is why she is so drawn to me." Liz said and Josef nodded.

"That would explain the trust thing." Josef agreed.

Beth looked confused and looked to Mick for an answer. He gave her a pained smile kissing her forehead. "It is not normal for humans to trust us so deeply unless we are using our pull on them. Liz has never tried to lure you in like a meal and yet you still trust her, which is not normal." Mick said. "Like I told you earlier you have a hard time seeing the danger."

"Hey!" Liz growled. "I don't think of her as a happy meal on legs she is a friend! A great something or other niece."

"You just threatened to turn her!" Mick hissed.

"I never said I was going to be the one to do it, but if she really wanted me to I would." Liz said her dark doe eyes staring intently into Beth's soft brown eyes.

"No." Mick said. "I don't want her to become a monster."

"Again with the monster bit." Josef grumbled glaring at his friend. He knew that if his friend kept it up he was going to end up in a whole new world of trouble, Liz was far less accepting of the put down than he was. She had no emotional attachment to Mick.

Mick looked down not wanting to deal with Josef and Liz anymore. "I am under control now please leave." Mick said and the two vampires scoffed at him.

"Yeah like you telling us to leave is really going to work." Josef said moving over to Beth's couch where he firmly planted himself. "We need to…discuss this matter." Josef said.

"There is nothing to discuss Josef." Mick snapped.

"Careful." Liz said sitting on the arm of the couch. "You wouldn't want to upset me, I have a very volatile temper. I guess you could say my sister and I are alike in that respect." Liz said knowing that her comments were getting under his skin making him cringe.

"Elise…"

"What?" She gave him a sinfully innocent look that made him cackle.

"Stop trying to bait him." Josef said.

"What do you mean bait him?" Beth asked looking at Liz fearfully for the first time.

"She is trying to get Mick to attack her so that she can hit him. I know she has been itching to do so for some time and it has been driving her mad. She sees his emotions and love for you as a way to push his buttons. Quite clever really." Josef said and Liz smiled proudly.

"You want her to attack him?" Beth asked looking surprised.

"Not really, it could get messy. The thought though is rather appealing." Josef said pulling out his palm pilot and he started working. Liz looked at him and let out a frustrated huff.

"Why must you always do that?" She asked pouting.

"Do what?" He asked not looking up.

Liz rolled her eyes crossing her arms over her chest. "When we are fighting you pull out paper work of that damn thing and do that instead. We are fighting here!" Liz yelled stopping her foot wincing when she heard a floor board snap. She turned to Beth looking apologetic. "Sorry I will get that fixed."

Beth nodded stunned. "You mean he does this to you too?" Mick asked looking amused and annoyed.

"Yes! I swear he never changes he just sits there and works when we fight! I want to rip the damn thing out of his hand!"

"Then why don't you?" Mick asked looking more amused. Liz mumbled something low and unintelligible that not even his hearing could pick up.

"What was that?" Beth asked.

"I said I would but he would get mad and withhold sex!" Liz shouted. Josef paused what he was doing and looked at the three confused.

"What?"

Roxy and Ivan's Home

She didn't like how he never responded to her advances. He would always brush her off, she never sensed arousal from him. The concept of him not wanting her was foreign and something she was not used to feeling. All men wanted her all she had to do was smile at them, lure them and they were hers for the taking. He was different and it frustrated her to no end.

"What is it little one?" He asked looking up from his work table at her perched on a stool.

"I am bored." She moaned. "Come and play with me."

"No." He sighed. "I have work that needs to be finished."

"Please?" She asked sticking out her bottom lip knowing so many men fell into her trap with the slight pout of her lip. Again he did not fall for it.

"No." He sighed making a note in his journal.

"Ivan…" She whined.

"Go play with Alex I am sure he would gladly do something with you." Ivan said desperate for her to leave him alone with his work, her constant advances were wearing on his patience.

"Fine." She huffed leaving the work room towards the main part of the house. As she was leaving the hall she saw the blonde bane of her existence coming towards her. She could feel the ice of her skin even from the distance.

"He is working." She snarled at her and Roxy rolled her eyes.

"He will stop for me." Roxy's musical voice sang as she continued on her way.

"No he won't." Coraline spat hating that she sounded like such a child compared to the eternally beautiful ancient teen.

"He is my mate not yours Coraline." Roxy said her honey eyes hard. "Learn your place and we will be fine, but if you keep on trying to get at him I will drain you dry for the hell of it and then slam a stake through your heart and give you to Alex to play with." Roxy growled. "Now go." She spat and the little brunette scurried away.

Coraline raced into the main part of the house and stilled when she felt Alex's presence. "You alright?" He asked raising an amused eyebrow at her. "You look as if you have just seen death."

"I am fine." She said trying to compose herself. Alex just looked at her and kept the amused smirk on his face. "What?" She huffed.

"Nothing. It's just you remind me of a friend of mine when you are annoyed." Alex said grinning at her. Coraline stiffened. She looked at the vampire in front of her and memories raced through her mind. She knew him from somewhere.

"Elise." She whispered when the image of the man in front of sitting in a booth flashed in her mind's eye. "You know my sister." She breathed.

"I know her as Liz. She was the reason I became a vampire." Alex said grabbing Coraline's elbow as he led her to a more private room instead of an open hall where anyone could hear them. "I was dying and Liz had Roxy save me. I was given the choice of dying or living with my best friend forever." Alex said. "Not a hard choice."

"You know my sister." She was still shocked apparently as she reached a hand out to him and poked his chest. "I remember you from the café so sweet. Your blood smelled like chocolate and oranges with a hint of cinnamon. So similar to my sister and yet so different." She whispered tears welling in her eyes.

"I have been told that." Alex said remembering Roxy's words his first night as a vampire.

"What was she like?" Coraline asked looking pained.

"Who Liz?" Her nod confirmed his suspicions. He didn't know if he should tell her but the painful sadness he felt coming from her made his decision for him.

He let out an unneeded breath, "She was sweet. Before here there were other girls posing as her and then Liz entered the picture, the one I know now. She had this presence about her that always screamed wise beyond her years…now I know why." Alex laughed.

"She was always like that though." Coraline said giving him a small smile. "Elise was always the wise one the one that we all went to for answers. She held us all together she was…"

"Your pillar of strength." Alex said and she nodded. "She was like that for us as well. Our group." Alex sighed. "We were a messed up bunch a huge miss match of personalities but Liz kept us all together she kept us sane."

"How different were all of you?" Coraline asked genuinely intrigued.

"Well first there is Maria, or hurricane Deluca as we call her. She was the blonde with the green eyes and spunky personality. She takes crap from no one and tells you what she thinks and wants. She has very little boundaries and has issues with personal space." Alex said and Coraline snickered.

"What?" He asked.

"She sounds like the female version of this vampire I know Josef."

"Oh yeah you're right." Alex said. "Roxy introduced me to him. He is like the male version of Maria except Maria is not as scary and mean…unless she is mad about something."

"So who else was in your group?" She asked scooting closer to Alex,

"Then there is Kyle or Buddha boy. He is a jock that has found enlightenment but still finds time to make the rest of us suffer as the butt of his jokes. He is a loyal friend though and protective to the bitter end. Then there is Isabel the girl I lusted after. She is a tall blonde model like girl with an ice bitch personality. She does not trust easily but when she lets you in it is amazing. Then there is Michael the stone wall of our group. He does not like to be emotional but when you get past his gruff exterior you find the shy little boy he really is. Then there is Max the king of the jackasses."

"Not sensing the love." Coraline giggled.

"Nope no love for the guy. Maybe at one time but after what he and your sister went through no way." Alex said.

Coraline's dark eyes narrowed in anger. "What did he do to my sister?"

"Well he slept with a blonde bitch that was trying to kill us all and then when he did not believe Liz that she was the spawn of Satan got me killed." Alex said.

"What is it with blondes!" She roared.

"Wow." Alex whistled "You and Liz are more alike than I thought."


	14. First Strike

Part 13: First Strike

_We can't chose who we love, if we could most of us would gladly chose another person, but our hearts will have none of that. Love engulfs even the most frugal man and ignites even the most frigid woman. Love is the force that binds families and friends together and at the same time has the power to tear them apart. I wish I had known how frustrating and unpredictable love was before I went and fell in love with an unobtainable woman._

Josef glared at the white and silver invitation in his cold undead hands wishing it would burst into flames. He was going to kill his PR rep. for this. He knew she was a heartless bitch but that was why he hired her but this was going too far.

"Josef?" The throaty voice of Simone asked as she entered his office. He could hear the rapid beating of her heart and knew that his expression had her terrified.

"What?" He growled tearing his eyes away from the invitation from hell.

"I ah what is wrong?" She asked bravely.

"It seems Carmen has it out for me." He growled.

"How so?" Simone asked glancing at the pristine white invitation on his desk knowing exactly what it was; after all it was why she had decided to make an appearance at his office.

"She thought it would be a good idea for me to host a charity benefit. Apparently it would look good if a bunch of rich CEO's got together in a time of tough economic troubles and gave something back." Josef said bitterness seeping from his words.

"Well it would be good for the investors. They would love a chance to get together with you and kiss up to you. Besides the invitations are already out you have to go through with this." She said smiling brightly at him. "What you need is a hot date for the event to make you feel better."

Josef grabbed the light on his desk and threw it at the wall taking comfort in the shattering glass. "Right now I need a date." He grumbled.

Simone smiled and perked up scooting closer to her boss. "Well you know…"

Josef turned away from her and grabbed his phone off the cradle. "Hey sweetie." He said a large smile spreading across his face. "Sorry for waking you from your freezer time." He said. "Listen I am hosting a charity ball this week and I was wondering if you would do me the honor of being my date?" He asked not seeing Simone's face go from sultry to sour in seconds flat.

"Great." He said. "Go back to sleep baby I will see you tonight." He said putting the phone back on the hook. "Alright I feel better, I got the hottest date there is." He said looking very proud of himself.

"Who are you taking?" She asked trying not to sound bitter and jealous.

"Oh my girlfriend Elise, no wait she goes by Liz now. Have to remember that." He mumbled.

"Is she new?" She asked.

Josef looked at her debating if he should answer her or not. "No." and he left it at that moving back to his work. Simone sighed and took that as a get out of my office now cue. She did not like the sound of this Liz.

Mick's Apartment

The crisp air of the freezer felt amazing and he did not want to get up, but he knew it was feeding time if the things poking him in his lip were any indication. Lifting the lip with a hiss as the cool air escaped he sat up and shook off the ice crystals heading into his bathroom for a quick cold shower and then a meal.

He knew Beth was working on a new story for her boss and he planned on meeting up with her at the Wilson house, the scene of LA's latest murdered actress. From the looks of the outside he was there before Beth. Leaning against his car Mick waited the stench of death filling his sensitive nose.

"Quite the smell huh?" A deep throaty voice asked from behind him. Mick froze a spider feeling creeping up his back, Vampire.

Mick whipped around and came face to face with a tall tan vampire, or well tan for someone dead. "Who are you?" Mick growled.

"Careful Mick St. John. Take that tone with too many people and it might get you in trouble." The vampire laughed, a slightly high hysterical laugh. It sounded oddly like…

"Who are you?" Mick growled his hackles rising he knew that laugh better than anyone's.

"My we are impatient, but if you are unwilling to play so be it." The vampire laughed his fangs making the air hiss out of his mouth. "I am Nicholas. You probably know me as Nico." He said his blue eyes glaring at the younger vampire.

Mick ran the name through his head trying to figure out why the hell is sounded so familiar when it hit him. "No." He growled his eyes instantly changing. "Coraline's brother."

"Very good." He growled circling around the younger vampire. "Here my sister Elise told me you were slow." The amused expression immediately left Nicholas's face as a snarled ripped from his lips. "You took something I care deeply about from me." He snapped.

"What?"

"My sister. She has not been the same since you rejected her since you tried to kill her." He snarled moving closer to the younger vampire. "So my brothers and I decided to take something from you." Nicholas hissed reaching into his jacket faster than Mick could move and pulled out a lock of blonde hair. "Remember this Mick St. John. You might be my sister's favorite but I have no such ties to you." He said dropping the hair at Mick's feet. "Happy hunting. I hope you can get to her before HE does."

Mick felt as if someone had hit him with a stake in the chest he couldn't move. The hair, he knew that hair and that scent that was clinging to it. "Beth." He groaned this couldn't be happening.

Roswell New Mexico.

Max rubbed his tired eyes as he made his way to the CrashDown. The restaurant did not feel the same now that the Parker's no longer owned it. Okay so they still owned it for the next month while the legalities were being taken care of but Jeff had given Amy free reign and she was now running the place.

"Hey Max." Amy greeted and he gave her a small smile.

"Hi Amy. Is Maria around?" He asked and she nodded pointing to the backroom.

"You okay hun?" Amy asked grabbing onto his arm her mother face on. Max gave her another weak smile and nodded.

"Yeah just missing Liz." He said and Amy nodded giving him a sympathetic smile.

"You and Maria both. The way that girl has been acting you would think Liz died or something." Amy said slapping a hand to her mouth her eyes widening. "Oh that was insensitive of me." She whispered her eyes tearing up. "Of course she is worried about Liz after what happened to Alex she just does not want to lose another friend." Amy said. "Go on Max go see if you can cheer her up, Michael and Kyle are back there with her."

Max went through the door and saw the three in a heated whisper match, Maria with puffy eyes. "Hey guys." He mumbled shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Hey Max." They grumbled, it was obvious that they were not thrilled that he was there.

"So what are you all doing…" Max's phone started to vibrate in his pocket and he hastily pulled it out praying that it was Liz calling "Hello?" He asked.

"_I think I have a lead on where your son is." A familiar disgruntled voice rang through the phone._

Max stopped breathing his eyes widening. "Kal?" He asked his panicked expression gaining the attention of the room.

"_Yes." He snapped. "Now listen I don't have much time. Come to LA and bring the others you are going to need your second and sister for this to work, but if my theory is correct the royal brat will be back in your lap by day's end." Kal said._

"I am on my way." Max said hanging up.

"Max?" Maria asked looking worried.

"I need to go to LA again; Kal thinks he found a way to get my son back." Max whispered his face a wash of shock.

"That's great Max." Maria said trying to give him a small smile.

"There is just a small snag." Max mumbled.

"What?" Kyle asked rolling his eyes.

"I need Michael and Isabel for this and I don't want to leave the two of you behind." He said looking at Kyle and Maria.

Michael did not know if he should be angry or happy that Max was automatically assuming that he was going to go along with this plan. On the one hand he was happy that he was going to get to meet a protector but on the other he was not too sure about this, something did not sound right.

"Fine." Michael said and Maria and Kyle reluctantly nodded.

"Great I have to go and tell Isabel." He said racing away. Michael let out a deep sigh running a hand through his long messy hair.

"Just great Maxwell, now all we have to do is make sure Max does not accidently run into Liz and Alex while he is in LA." Michael grunted.

The City of Angels

She loved the feel of the cold on her skin it always made everything better. She cuddled closer to the solid wall and froze, it was not a wall. She cracked one brown eye open and then the other and saw his large pale form there motionless, lifeless. She would have let out a startled gasp if she wasn't so afraid. He looked beautiful sleeping there dead to the world, the calming peaceful sleep of the young.

"You know staring at me while I sleep is not a turn on." His voice startled her making her let out a small yip. This seemed to amuse him as a loud laugh bounced off the walls of the freezer.

"I ah…"

"You were probably disoriented." He said finally opening his eyes. "A night after a day of sex with me tends to have that affect on the ladies." He laughed making her pout, he was making fun of her and she did not like it.

"I was not disoriented." She grumbled pushing the lip up letting the air rush away.

"Sure, sure." He laughed.

"I wasn't." She hissed.

"Okay." He said grinning at her as he reached for his pants, handing her the dress she had on the night before.

"Thanks." She mumbled surprised that he was actually being nice to her. Most of the men she knew when they were done with her they usually told her to get out.

"Welcome. Now come on I am starving and Roxy will kill me if I go on a rampage." He chuckled cracking a small smile on her face.

"Sounds good actually." She reluctantly admitted still unsure of his nice attitude.

"Come on Coraline get a move on it's not like I am going to bite you." He laughed "Well unless you ask me to." He chuckled. That really did make her smile.

"I'm coming Alex."


	15. First Strike II

Part 14: First Strike II

_Many people have said that you need to learn to pick and choose your battles. The ability to let a grudge go to win the war is a skill many never learn, but those who do tend to always come out on top in the end. After centuries of learning the fine art of war I have it down to perfection. All the fine elements that make for a spectacular battle and what can ignite a person to fight. It is learning the other persons trigger that is key, because when you know how your enemy thinks you know how to take him down._

"You hungry?" Liz asked holding a fast food bag in her small hand. Beth looked up at Liz and grinned.

"Starving." She admitted.

"Yeah sorry about that, Lance tends to forget that humans need to eat more than once a day. He feels really bad about this." Liz said sitting down next to the blonde who was wolfing down her burger and fries.

"S'okay I kind of figured he forgot when I mentioned it to him he looked kind of panicked." Beth giggled.

"Yeah he is afraid that Josef is going to get mad at him and lob off his head. Starving the human was frowned upon. You know I think Lance is getting dumber with old age, one would think it would be the opposite." A loud growl from outside the room set Liz off into another bout of giggles.

"Liz." Beth said looking at the dark vampire a serious expression overtaking her face. "I need you to promise me something."

"What?" Liz asked.

"I need you to promise me that nothing bad will happen to Mick. He does not even realize he is playing right into this." Beth whispered tears filling her eyes.

"This really bugs you huh?"

"You have no idea." Beth whispered.

"No, I don't. Just know that we are doing this so that he doesn't get in the way. While he is coming after you…"

"The others will be going after Ivan." Beth whispered.

"You are learning. It took me years to understand why the Aesir do what they do but eventually I learned that what they plan usually ends well for them. We included you in this Beth. I promise this will end well for you." Liz said.

"That is not the same thing as making sure that Mick is okay." Beth said and Liz nodded.

"My brothers have a few issues to work out with him. Laurent did make them promise not to kill him but that does not mean they will not hurt him." Liz said.

"Liz…"Beth looked even closer to tears now.

"Beth I really wish I could give you more comfort than that but you just have to trust that Mick will live. He is going to get roughed up. He is coming here for a fight Beth he is going mad right now because we took his ma…"

Beth's head shot up her eyes burning into the vampire. "His what?"

Liz let out a pained sigh. "He does not even realize how close he is to it, but right now his other half the more animalistic half has found its mate and he is pissed that someone dared to harm you."

Beth looked shocked. "How the hell did we become mates?" She asked looking stunned.

Liz giggled slightly as she rubbed her back. "It is not official or anything but the beginnings are there I can sense it. It's a vampire thing. Like take Roxy for example, I can feel that she has a mate from her presence. Mick is starting to get that same feel." Liz explained.

Beth bit her lip setting down her food an anxious look on her face. "Ah Liz."

"Hum?"

"How exactly does one become a mate?" Beth asked. "I mean Josef mentioned that it is a deep commitment and can't be reversed but that is it and Mick I don't think even knew that mates existed."

"He knew on an instinctual level it's just that before you he never thought he would find his, many vampires don't. Okay a mate well think of it in terms of a human relationship. There is the dating stage, then the engagement and a marriage all of which are levels of commitment and love. Mates is a step higher that humans can't fully reach it is the penultimate of commitments. I cannot describe the emotions nor what it fully entails because I am not a mate." Liz said.

"So Mick wouldn't be able to mate with me." Beth whispered.

"Not until you are changed." Liz said.

"Well I don't think Mick will ever change me." Beth sighed.

"No he won't but I know several of my brothers are interested in having you as a fledgling, and so am I." Liz said biting her lip clearly debating if she should tell Beth the rest. "I talked it over with Laurent and he has agreed that whenever you are ready I can change you. Would you be alright if you had me as your sire?" Liz asked.

Beth stared at her friend in shock not believing that the conversation had turned to this. Sure she knew from the moment she met Mick that she wanted to be a vampire but now here was Liz telling her that her dreams were within reach. "I ah would have to talk it over with Mick, but thank you." Beth whispered, "I don't think I can describe how I am feeling right now." Beth whispered.

"It's alright, I was just worried that you wouldn't want me I mean with who my family is and all that and the connection we have to you." Liz said.

"Well it is rather fitting." Beth said giving her a small smile. "I am a descendant of your brother and my boyfriend is the creation of your sister, seems to be the final piece to the puzzle huh?"

"Yup very fitting." Liz agreed. Her small frame suddenly stilled next to Beth.

"What is it?" Beth asked fear creeping into her hushed voice.

"Mick is here." Liz hissed. "Stay here and hide. Don't come out until one of us comes and gets you." Liz hissed bolting out of the room. Beth heard the solid metal door lock and sighed picking up her food again. It was going to be a long night.

Liz whipped around the corner and was at the front of the house in a blink sliding into place next to a growling Lance. "Where is she?" Mick roared the inhuman growl ripping from his chest with frightening ferocity.

"Who are you looking for?" Liz asked playing her part quite expertly. Mick growled louder when he saw her.

"You!" He snarled. "I knew you were bad news the moment I saw you, I should have known that someone related to Coraline was bad. I can't believe Beth ever trusted you." He growled charging at Liz. Liz huffed internally silently begging Beth and Josef to forgive her before her face changed into a nasty snarl as she launched herself at Mick meeting him in a ferocious smack.

Liz rammed her elbow into his nose and bit at him. Mick hit her in the stomach and sent her flying off him, but Liz was older and recovered faster than he had expected. He winced when her high heeled foot jabbed at his leg breaking open the skin before the same foot swiped at his face nicking his cheek. Mick grabbed her leg and twisted expecting for her to go flying but she just flipped with the leg using the momentum to kick her other leg into his chest slamming her heel into his chest and right into his heart. Mick froze in place before he crumpled to the ground.

"Pays to have wooden heels when in a fight." Liz said slapping his face, his angry blue eyes glaring at her hatefully. "This was for your own good you know." Liz said. "Now sit tight it will all be over soon."

Roxy and Ivan's Home

Josef, Laurent, Albert, Valia and Pandora glided up the walkway. The members of the Aesir moving about the property. Josef moved to the front door and knocked his centuries of manners kicking in. Roxy came to the door and opened it soundlessly her brown eyes a sea of sadness.

"Roksana." Albert said pushing inside. "We have come to see Ivan." His voice rang out crisp in the air as Coraline and Alex came into view. Coraline took one look at Laurent and squealed.

"Father!"

Laurent gave her a small smile. "Hello my little one." He said his eyes flickering to the dark hallway as Ivan made his way towards them his handsome face set in determination.

"Good evening gentlemen, ladies." He said nodding his head at the two ancient women. "What brings you to our home?" He asked.

"Ivan we have come to ask you to stop your research." Laurent said. "It is not right and it goes against all of our laws."

Ivan nodded his head his lips a grim thin line. "What laws?"

"You know very well what laws. The ones we have come up with the ones the Aesir came up with over a thousand years ago. Turning the humans into our slaves threatens to expose our secret to thousands but then again that was your point." Pandora said.

"Turning the humans into our puppets is not our way. It is not the natural order." Josef said.

"You must stop your research and surrender it to us now to be destroyed." Laurent said eliciting a gasp from Coraline.

"Or risk our wrath." Albert drawled.

"Father!" Coraline shrieked looking appalled.

"Silence?" Laurent growled his blue eyes boring into his child. Coraline cowered away from his gaze and consequently moved closer to Alex.

"My research is too valuable and important." Ivan growled.

"More important than your mate?" Valia asked moving in a blink to grab Roxy by the throat a silver dagger held close to the pale tan flesh. Roxy's panicked eyes darted to Ivan who let out an enraged growl.

"Let her go!" He growled.

"Give us your research now!" Josef barked.

"Do not order me around little one." Ivan growled his blue eyes so focused and angry that Josef had to fight the human urge to cringe. "For I can rip your throat out before another word leaves your traitorous lips."

"Give us the research, I do not want to fight you old friend." Laurent said as Roxy started to twitch in Valia's arms a low growl rumbling from her chest. Alex stiffened and growled at the others in the room as well not liking Roxy upset.

"I will not give up my research." Ivan said looking pained as he stared at Roxy.

"So be it." Vailia said her blade nicking Roxy's skin. Roxy gasped at the feeling as her fighting instinct kicked in. The two women became a mass of limbs as their fight began.

Ivan let out a pained roar and charged at the two only for a solid mass to knock him off course. Ivan looked and growled when he saw Albert standing over him. "I had hoped it would not come to this my friend."


	16. Revelations

Part 15: Revelations

_Knowledge is a dangerous thing. Thousands over the years have learned what price little knowledge costs. It was knowledge that got humanity kicked out of the Garden of Eden and it human's continuous search that keeps them in hell. _

"So Mickey I thought we could use this time we have together to get a few issues off my chest, you know work out the kinks in our relationship." Liz said moving to sit on his stomach hugging her knees to her chest.

"You do know he won't be able to talk back Elise." Eduard laughed from the couch.

"I never said he would be getting anything off his chest just me." Liz said flashing her brother a cheesy grin.

"Oh then by all means little one talk away." He laughed.

"Okay Mick." Liz said slapping the stack in his chest making him groan. Liz looked down at him and grinned when she saw the yellow start to seep into his eyes, he was getting weaker. "So I think it is already known that I have no love for you. You are a miserable excuse for a man and an even sorrier vampire."

"You really get right down to the meat." Lance said sitting down to watch.

"You know many men would have jumped at the chance to get at Beth Turner she is one fine female and yet you showed the restraint of a saint. Did you know that men throw themselves at her all the time?" Liz asked smirking at him.

"I know I did." Lance said. "She is a tasty little thing."

"So I have agreed to turn Beth, she is going to be my fledgling which means that the two of us are going to be spending a lot of time together. Well that is if I decide to let her near you. After all as I am sure you remember a sire has amazing pull over their fledgling. I could make Beth stay away from you for years." Liz said twisting the stake. "I think you deserve that but Beth seems fond of you."

Liz moved from his chest and kneeled next to his head so that her face was frighteningly close to his. "You made a mockery of my baby sister." She hissed in his ear. "The last person who did that ended up disemboweled. I might hate her for what she did to my children but she is my blood she is my forever and that is a concept you have yet to grasp. Do you realize what it is like to spend centuries alone? You are barely eighty, give it a few years." Liz snarled pushing away from him.

"Our sire taught us that family means everything that once you are a part of our bloodline you are one of us forever. When I was taken away from Josef I felt as if I was dying all over again, except this time I did not wake up with a whole new life." Liz whispered but she knew he could hear her. Lance and Eduard looked away giving her some semblance of privacy.

"I was in France for days feeling sick like I was never going to wake up again when she showed up. My sister stayed with me for weeks until I could be by myself without breaking down." Liz said. "Then she left and you got turned." Liz stomped on his stomach barefoot regretting that her shoe was stuck in his chest, it would have looked great sticking out of his gut.

"You are always a downer did you know that? Here I thought Josef was pessimistic but you Mickey take the cake." Liz watched as his yellowing eyes rolled away from her and she let out a huff of annoyance.

"Looks like he is tired of listening to you Elise." Eduard laughed.

"That's it." Liz hissed standing up. "Lance get the blow torch."

Roxy and Ivan's Home

The house was still, eerily so. Coraline's sobs had long since quieted and the staff taken care of. Josef sat idly by her body holding her golden pale hand not looking at the severed head across the room. Alex was whimpering softly next to him, he was still a fledgling.

"It will be alright Alex." Josef said making sure no one else was about to hear him. "I will take you on as my fledgling after all my blood is the closest thing to hers now." He said.

"She really loved him." Alex whispered. "But he did not love her enough to stop."

"Alex you know that he loved her, he just…"

"I know."

"Liz is going to hate this." Josef said and then his mournful face turned panicked. "Oh no Liz!" He yelled racing to the door he knew Alex was following. "She is with Mick!" He yelled knowing the others in the house would hear and that Laurent and the others would be along shortly leaving the cleansers to take care of the rest. Right now they had to make sure that Liz did not do something stupid like kill Mick.

The red Ferrari started with a roar and the two vampires raced to Laurent's temporary lodging. Alex jumped out of the car and wrinkled his nose. "Aw it smells like burnt flesh." He gagged.

"Damn that was what I was afraid of." Josef growled heading inside. "Liz!" He roared.

"In the living room." She sang Josef and Alex paused in the door looking at the scene. "Hello boys." She sang holding a welding torch. "Want a turn?" She asked holding the tool out to Alex who moved forward only for Josef to grab his neck and haul him back.

"No don't even think about it." Josef growled.

"But Liz always gets to have all the fun." Alex whined.

"Liz who is that and where is Mick?" Josef asked pointing to the staked vampire on the ground.

"Mick is behind the couch. I was getting ready to use this baby on him when I smelled this guy wandering around outside and well you know me I just had to try it out." Liz said running the flames over the prone males hand.

"He is one of Ivan's guards." Alex said.

"He must have escaped the fight and come here thinking that Liz would help him out." Josef said tapping the male with his foot. "I will call the cleaner."

"I can take care of him." Liz huffed.

Josef rolled his eyes at her. "Liz you would just create more of a mess, I have seen you kill a vampire before you take sick pleasure in making it last a long time." Josef said looking down at the vampire on the floor for emphasis.

"Well I was board. Besides it's not like I could actually use this thing on Mick without you getting mad." Liz pouted.

"Liz baby please go and get bagged blood for Mick and take your shoe out of him." Josef said pulling out his cell. "Then when he is fed go and get Beth."

"I don't want to give her up." Liz pouted.

"Liz. Beth is a person not your toy she needs to go home with Mick." Josef said mentally kicking himself for introducing the two.

"I don't wanna give her up." Liz pouted. "I have no one else to play with now that Alex won't let me dress him up." Liz huffed.

Josef turned to look at his new fledgling that was shifting around nervously, Josef knew that if he could blush he would be. "Liz I thought you promised never to speak of that again." Alex hissed.

"He let me dress him up last night." A soft voice said from the door. Josef mentally growled feeling Coraline and the others enter the home along with thankfully a cleaner.

"Take care of him please." Josef said motioning to the woman in black leather and the vampire on the ground.

"You let her dress you up. Alex that is no fair!" Liz huffed.

"I am not a doll!" Alex growled.

"No but you are fun to give new looks." Coraline said and Liz nodded.

"Oh look its Mick." Albert said his pale drawn face pulled into a sinister grin. "We should let him up."

"Not until Liz gets him blood and he is no longer a feral mess." Josef said and the ancient vampire nodded. Liz returned with several bags of blood and motioned for Albert to release him. The ancient took longer than necessary and made sure to twist extra hard as he removed the stake. Mick let out a mighty roar when he was able to move again springing to his feet before he crouched down ready to pounce.

"Drink Mick." Josef barked tossing a bag at him. Mick caught it glaring at him and the others in the room the entire time. "If you finish that bag and another one I will have Liz go and get Beth, but once you see her you have to promise to drink another." Josef ordered his tone leaving no room for discussion. Mick nodded stiffly glaring at his best friend and his torturer.

"Now Mick sit down and finish the other bag, we have a few things we need to tell you." Josef said as Coraline grabbed Alex forcing him to sit next to her. Mick looked at the two confused but did as he was told.

"We will get to that later." Josef whispered so only Mick could hear him. "Believe me when I say no one was more shocked about what happened than I was."

"Did he finish the next bag?" Liz asked from the other end of the house. Josef looked at Mick and noticed he finished two others which surprised him.

"Yes it is safe to bring her in." Josef said in his normal voice knowing that she could still hear him.

Mick stilled when her fresh scent hit him and watched as Liz dragged Beth behind her standing protectively in front of her making sure that he and the others did not harm her. It hurt him to think that Beth had to be protected from him but after losing so much strength he was still dangerous and her blood called to him. "Drink another bag Mick." Josef growled. "Liz don't bring her any closer until he does." Josef ordered.

Mick did not like that idea at all and growled at Josef. The low deep growl that met his was so different from anything he had ever heard from Josef before; it was low and dangerous holding a severe warning. He always knew that Josef was powerful but he had never had the chance to see it and it looked like his friend was now taking the opportunity to show him who was boss in their relationship.

"Mick if you don't drink that bag right now I will have Liz take Beth right back to her room and have Alex force the blood down your throat are we clear?" Josef asked as Mick roughly picked up a bag glaring at his friend the whole time.

"Such children." Valia muttered.

"There, happy?" Mick snarled and Josef nodded motioning for Liz to let Beth through. Once the little blonde was free she launched herself at Mick and hugged him tight as the vampire took deep gulps of useless air to take in her scent. "Shh Beth it is alright now you are safe." Mick whispered.

Beth pulled back and looked at him confused. "But I was never in any danger." Mick looked around the room confused.

"Like I said Mick, we have a few things to talk about." Josef said.

"More than a few." Coraline giggled making Alex laugh as well.

"Will you two stop that?" Josef growled and the two closed their mouths with a snap trying not to grin.

"What?" Mick asked.

"Mick you should sit down." Beth said looking frightened. "We have a lot to tell you." She whispered.


	17. Revelations II

Part 16: Revelations II

_Sometimes it is the little things that you don't see that end up coming back to haunt you. They seem innocent and innocuous at the time when they are festering wounds in disguise. I never thought that one little girl coming to town could cause so much trouble but with her came a wave of trouble and just one minute of her in my life ended up changing it forever. She destroyed my friendships and betrayed my trust in those around me. Someone so little ended up ruining my immortal life._

Liz shifted on her feet as she anxiously watched Beth glide over to Mick's waiting arms. There went her last line of protection because now that the brooding vampire had his mate he was going to kill those who dared to take her away from him probably not giving them a chance to explain that they really did have a good reason for taking her.

Josef moved over to Liz's side sensing the trouble brewing as well. "Now that the lovely Beth is here we need to talk." Josef said.

"We are not talking about anything." Mick snarled warping his arm around Beth as he glared at his friend. "We are done here."

"No we are not." Laurent said his silky voice sending chills down Beth's back, she felt Mick tighten his hold on her. "You need to hear what we have to say, it will make everything clear."

"Please Mick." Beth whispered. "You need to hear this."

Mick looked down at her in shock. "Wait, you know what they have to say?"

Beth looked away feeling the burning guilt rise in her. "I sort of helped them plan it." She whispered.

"Plan what?" Mick asked looking around the room for the first time noticing that there were more vampires in the room than he had noticed and that none of them smelled a day under two hundred, in fact most of them smelled as old as Roxy.

"They planned to get me away from Ivan." Coraline whispered looking down at her lap for the first time in her immortal life feeling guilty. She didn't know why she went along with Ivan but now that she was with her family she could see how stupid she had been. Alex wrapped a comforting arm around her and kept her close.

"Why wasn't I informed on any of this and why was Beth brought in?" Mick asked his harsh glare beating down on Josef who brushed it off as usual.

"You weren't brought in because you are too emotionally charged about all of this. You put your morals before the good of the community and that was not what we needed. Besides we brought Beth in to keep you busy. After all we couldn't risk you coming after us in the middle of a deadly fight." Josef said.

Mick looked at his best friend betrayal shining in his dark eyes. "Mick, please listen." Beth said trying not to cry she could feel how stiff he was and it had her heart racing.

"The kidnapping Beth…"

"Was a set up." Josef said moving imperceptibly in front of Liz. "We needed to get you here so that Liz and Lance could keep you busy. What better way to get you here than by taking the one person you love most." Josef said.

Mick looked away from his friend and down at Beth who was silently shaking. "Why did you help them?" The cold tone he used with her made several vampires cringe, including Coraline.

"After listening to them I knew they were right. I didn't want you rushing into a fight that wasn't yours and getting yourself killed by trying to fight someone like Ivan." Beth said.

"She had reason to be worried." Liz said speaking up for the first time. "Ivan and Roxy killed several of our kind before they were taken care of." Liz said.

"Roxy is dead?" Mick asked and the others nodded.

"An unfortunate side affect. We could not kill Ivan without killing her." Albert said staring dully ahead clearly board with the conversation.

"We knew that Ivan had my sister and was using his gift to keep her there." Lance said his deep voice making Beth jump, Mick unconsciously pulled her closer. "He has what legends call thrall, hell he was probably the reason someone coined the term and associates it with vampires."

"I knew that what he was doing was wrong but for some reason I wanted to stay with him and help him. Hell I was even antagonizing Roksana and I liked her!" Coraline cried. Alex ran a gentle hand through her hair ignoring Liz's mystified look.

"Liz?" Josef called quietly noticing her look.

"She is on my Alex." She whispered looking horrified. "My Alex."

Josef raised an eyebrow at his girl grinning. "Your Alex?"

"Yes." Liz huffed. "I saw him first he is mine just like I saw you first. She need to keep her claws off him." Liz hissed.

"Liz…" Josef sighed.

"Josef he is so innocent I don't want her to hurt him." Liz said.

"Look at them Liz. I really don't think she is going to hurt him." Josef said. "But if she does I will take care of it." Josef said looking back at the others deciding it was time to rejoin the conversation.

"Ivan knew that he could keep her there and the rest of us knew that once he was gone the trance would be broken. So Roksana called a meeting and then the rest is history." Liz said.

"Why not tell me any of this?"

Beth looked to Liz and Josef and saw them nod slightly so she took it from there. "Mick if you found out that this was happening, that Coraline was there in some kind of trance you would go there barging in without a plan and get yourself killed. None of us wanted to keep you in the dark but we didn't know how you were going to react. I know it is not a good excuse but we really were doing it because we didn't want to see you hurt."

"Not me." Liz added. "I did it because of my sister, those two did it because they like you." Liz said pointing to Beth and Josef.

Mick looked around the room and down at Beth not sure what to feel or what to make of the situation. There was part of him screaming that they were all betrayers and would rot in hell but then there was the logical part of him sighing telling him that they were right that he would have gone in there foolishly and that they really were looking out for his best interests; expect for Liz. "You take sick pleasure in torturing me." He grunted.

Liz flashed him an innocent smile. "I already told you my reasons. Now that I have that all of my chest and I worked out my issues I think we are fine." She said shrugging her petite shoulders.

Mick looked at Liz studying her. "I guess we are alright, your reasoning was sound." He grunted looking away. Josef gapped at his friend not believing what he was hearing.

"You are okay with what she did?"

Mick looked back at his best friend and nodded. "She had her reasons."

"Reasoning with Mick St. John will wonders never cease." Josef muttered.

"Now go get Beth home, I fed her a burger and fries but she is sleepy after all she was worried that my brothers and I were going to kill you." Liz said shooing the two out the door.

"That went better than expected." Alex said.

"Oh for you it did, I on the other hand am going to have to do some serious favors." Josef said.

"You mean kiss his ass?" Alex asked.

Josef scoffed at his new fledgling looking offended. "Josef Kostan does not kiss anyone's ass thank you very much."

"Except my sister's." Coraline snickered.

If Liz could blush she would have while Josef growled at the other girl who just grinned at him. "Except Elise's." Josef muttered finally.

Kal Langley's Place

The small group gaped at the enormous mansion in front of them, well except for Max because he had seen it before. Maria stood there with her mouth opening and closing before she finally decided to move. The others were surprised when she was the one to go and ring the bell putting on a perky smile while she waited.

"Typical Maria." Kyle muttered as the door opened and Kal Langley stood there looking confused.

"Who are you?"

"Maria Deluca pleased to meet you. I am Michael's girlfriend." Maria said sticking out her hand for him to shake. Kal looked at the human girl surprised but shook her hand anyway.

"Please come in." He said not his usual snarky self until Max came into view and the cold wall flew up.

"So what is it that you found and when can we get started?" Max asked shocking the others with just how commanding he was with someone who was looking to help him out.

Kal rolled his eyes at the boy King but motioned for him and the others to follow him into his office. "We can't do it yet because I have to clear a few things first but once that is taken care of we can do it right away." Kal said.

"Clear what?" Maria asked making Kal smile.

"I have to clear a few issues with Josef Kostan first. I need him to let me release a deep space transmission of sorts. If I don't clear it with him I will be dead and so will the rest of you." Kal said watching the others.

Maria and Michael stiffened in their seats when they heard the name Josef Kostan. "Something wrong?"

Maria looked to Michael and then back at the protector. "You don't mean Josef Kostantine do you?" Maria asked watching as the bald guys eyes popped out of his head.

"How the hell do you know that? No one this century knows that." He hissed.

Maria looked to Michael again, Michael cleared his throat not looking at a confused Max "We ah sort of know a friend of his. A very OLD friend of his." Michael said trying to convey with his stare that the others in the room didn't know the secret. Kal seemed to catch on because he nodded his head slightly but not enough for the others to notice.

"Yeah one and the same, but he changed it to Kostan now that he is living in the States. It is easier for people to pronounce and it is the name he built his empire under." Kal said.

"Why would you have to clear things with him?" Max asked still confused.

"Because he runs this damn town." Kal said looking darkly at Max "And messing with him never ends well for anyone."


	18. Surprise

**Hey thanks for the replies I love reading them and they do keep me writing! Please let me know what you think of these new parts!**

Part 17: Surprise

_Sometimes when you least expect it you end up finding what you are looking for. The whole time it has been under your nose waiting for you but when you give up it suddenly pops out at you. This is the story of my life and it would figure that when I stopped looking for the love of my life she popped up right in front of me._

Josef sighed wishing he could slam the woman's head through the glass window of his office; she just would not shut up. Her sweet blood pumped through her veins and all his attention focused on the rhythmic sound reminding him that he had not fed in awhile. Josef hit the button under his desk and waited for his assistant to come in and moments later he did.

"Mr. Kostan I am sorry to interrupt but there is an urgent matter that needs attention." He said startling the woman.

"Thank you I will be there in a moment." Josef said silently kissing the ground his human assistant walked on. He was one of the few people who knew what he actually was and Josef knew that he was also probably out getting me one of his freshies to feed him.

"Oh I hope everything is alright." Mrs. Donalle said her voice oddly breathy which is when the scent of her arousal hit his sensitive nose. He had to work extra hard to hide his disgust, at least Beth never got aroused around him. Sure he might embarrass her a lot but she was never physically attracted to him which he was deeply thankful for, she happened to be the only human female who didn't pant at the sight of him.

"Everything is probably fine. My people have a tendency to overreact but just in case I do need to check into the matter. I hope we can pick this discussion up at some other time." Josef said flashing a boyish grin at her that had her melting.

"Sure Mr. Kostan." She panted and he left quickly gagging as he went into his private office two females waiting for him. One a meal the other… "Miss Turner what can I do for you?" He asked

"Eat." She commanded and he rolled his eyes at her but motioned for the other woman to come over to him. He found it hilarious that Beth had no problem with him eating but Mick, a vampire, did.

"Liz told me you hadn't eaten Josef you know better." Beth scolded but the worry was clear in her tone.

"I am fine." He huffed. "So again Beth what can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to see you that's all. Now that Mick is on a case I finally have a moment to come and see you." Beth said and Josef had to agree. Ever since Liz had Beth kidnapped, for the second time in her human life, Mick had been even more overprotective if possible.

"Well thank you but I am fine." Josef said shooing away his finished meal.

"Mr. Kostan." His assistant stuck his head into his office looking put off. "Mr. Langley is here to see you and he brought guests, of the teenage kind."

Josef raised an eyebrow at that and Beth looked confused. "Why the hell would he do that?" She asked.

"Good question." Josef said. "Send then in." He said as Beth moved to leave. "Stay Beth." Josef said not wanting to be left alone with the annoying alien producer.

"Josef." Kal said entering the room. "Beth Turner." Kal breathed when he saw the reporter in Josef's private office.

"Mr. Langley." Beth said from her chair in front of his desk. Her eyes darted around to the others in the room and her heart slammed in her chest. They were the people from Liz's pictures. Josef heard her racing heart and saw where her gaze was and his suspicions were confirmed, these were friends of Liz.

"What can I do for you Kal?" Josef asked motioning for the group to sit down. Kal eyed Beth and then glanced back to Josef. "Beth knows all of my secrets she is my girlfriend's best friend." Josef said his eyes snapping to the little blonde in the group.

Maria looked at the vampire in awe, Liz had said he was cute and boy was she right. She knew that Liz was in LA but seeing the vampire meant that she was a lot closer to Liz than she thought. "You look familiar." Beth said a wicked idea flashing in her mind, she knew from what Liz and Alex had said that the aliens were more than a little jumpy. Josef chuckled softly knowing that his blonde friend was going to have her kicks.

"Oh really?" Max asked shifting in his seat.

"You know you look familiar as well." Kyle said but he was not joking like Beth, the blonde in front of him really did look familiar.

"Buzzwire Kyle." Michael said slapping his friend on the back.

"No way." Kyle breathed. "You are thee Beth Turner the crime reporter. This is so cool." Kyle said looking at her in awe.

Beth blushed, the compliment feeling different coming from one of Liz's human friends. "Thank you."

"What do you want Kal?" Josef asked the scent of the alien irritating his nose, it was stronger than normal which only confirmed his suspicions of who the others were.

"Josef I need to contact my home world and use a deep space transmission, the signal would…"

"No." Josef growled a wave of fury washing over him allowing some of his other half to come out. "You will not." Josef growled his words oddly snarled the sound inhuman to the aliens ears.

"Josef." Beth warned.

The vampire sat back in his seat glaring at Kal. "You will not send a message from LA I will not have you bring suspicion down on my city. I remember what happened the last time you tried this a month ago and I will not deal with those repercussions." Josef growled the rumbling in his chest clearly heard by the others in the room.

Max gaped at the man in front of him as it finally clicked, he was not human. "Josef." Beth said so only he could hear it not wanting to reprimand him again in front of people, once was enough. Josef calmed rubbing his forehead.

"Kal." Beth said taking over when Josef secretly motioned for her to keep going sensing that he was too wound up. "As it is the city has just dealt with a traumatic event, the tribe is feeling shaky. Right now is not a good time." Beth said her voice cold and firm sounding a lot like Josef except more in control.

"What happened?" Kal asked sensing something big had transpired right under his nose.

"We are dealing with a power shift." Josef said.

"Someone trying to take over your throne?" Isabel sneered.

"No more like I overtook theirs." Josef said his cold smile sending shivers down her spine, her instincts telling her to be afraid. "Kal your enemies have a habit of showing up whenever you do something. There are people currently in my city that would kill you without thought to make the threat go away. Are you willing to take that chance?" Josef asked glancing at the humans and hybrids.

"Yes." Max said making Kal cringe.

"Who are you?" Josef asked coldly.

"Max Evans and it is my decision to make." Max said he was the king after all. "We are going to send off the signal and there is nothing you can do about it."

Josef smirked at Max and laughed at the little boy the sound though was oddly gruff as if a best was groaning in its sleep. "Are you sure about that?"

"Max don't please." Kal whispered his eyes wide.

"Maxwell." Michael warned knowing from Liz's stories that Josef was not someone to mess with. He had no problem killing humans if it made his life easier and Max was stepping on very thin ice.

"I am the leader here it is my decision not Kal's and not yours if I want to contact my home world then I will contact my home world." Max spat standing up, that was the wrong thing to do.

Josef was no his feet and had Max pinned to the wall before anyone could blink, he moved faster than anything they had ever seen and it was apparent that he was frighteningly strong as he held Max to the wall. The low growl emitting from Josef was terrifying and the blue eyes replaced the warm brown. "I have ruled for centuries child, I doubt you could do anything to change my mind. Your powers are useless against me." He growled.

"What are you?" Max chocked out.

"That is no concern of yours." Josef said releasing Max appearing back in his seat in a blink. "I will think about this matter." Josef said folding his hands his brown eyes grinning at Kal evilly, "I will tell you my answer at my charity event." Josef said.

Kal groaned and rubbed his bald head, "All of you will attend." Beth added looking at Max and the others. "You will dress properly and you will not cause a scene." Beth said and Maria nodded.

"We will be on our best behavior." The little blonde said.

"We will be there." Kal agreed.

"Good Elise will be pleased." Josef said glancing at Maria who stopped breathing, "Her and her brother have been dying to meet Kal." Josef said but the message was clearly for Maria and Michael.

"Have a nice day Mr. Langley." Beth said dismissing the bald man who quickly moved to comply not wanting to anger the blonde woman. He could smell something different about her, she smelled like a vampire but not quite.

Josef waited until the others were out of earshot before he started laughing looking oddly excited for a world dominating vampire. "Oh that was fun, and now I know for sure." He said.

"Know what?" Beth asked laughing at his pleased expression.

"That I am way better looking than Max Evans."

"Well that is obvious plus you have the whole power thing working for you where Max is more like a figure head." Beth pointed out.

"Gee you know I am starting to see a pattern." Josef muttered biting his lip suddenly. Beth would think he was bipolar if she didn't know him. One minute he was higher than high and the next he was brooding and evil.

"What?"

"Elise has a thing for powerful guys." He whined. "I mean look at her dating record she was married to a Lord as a human, then she dated a vampire prince, then a Lord, then me a leader of a tribe and a prince in my human times, and an alien king." Josef pointed out.

"Well what can I say powerful guys just do it for me." Liz said from the doorway. Josef grinned at her not at all upset that she had heard him talking about her.

"I'm late." Beth said standing to leave. "Have fun." She laughed before she left the two vampires.

"She is going to make an excellent vampire." Josef sighed.

"Yeah she will but you only think that because she is as scary as you as a human. Just think what she will be like as a vampire." Liz hummed falling into his lap.

"A hot terrifying woman. Not as hot as you though." He growled nipping her bottom lip.

"How is your afternoon looking Mr. Kostan?" Liz asked.

"Very busy." He said kissing her collarbone. "Spending time with my girl." He said nipping her neck.

"Good answer sounds like the perfect afternoon to me." Liz giggled. She stiffened suddenly her head turning to the couch area before her blue eyes pierced Josef. "Why does this room smell like my Maria and Michael?" She growled.

"Maybe it is because they just stopped by my darling with three aliens, a human, and a protector Kal Langley." Josef said and Liz growled her hand on the side of the chair snapping the wood. Josef smirked knowing she was less than happy, just what he wanted to see.


	19. Surprise II

Part 18: Surprise II

_The past is always there even if you try and move forward. When you love someone so much and deal with being ripped away from them the past history with them stays with you in all subsequent relationships. I thought that when I was dating someone from an entirely different species my past would not be there but he was. Now that I am back with my destined my past has come back to haunt me again but this time it is not an enjoyable past and I know that my boyfriend is going to do everything in his power to erase said history._

Josef paused in front of the large house feeling slightly ill. Not many things made him nervous but this was definitely one of them. Before he could even knock on the door Lance swung it open raising an eyebrow at him.

"I need to speak with Laurent." Josef said and Lance waved him in.

"Bout damn time." He heard Liz's brother mutter as he showed him the way to the ancient vampire's chambers also known as his office. Nicholas, Elise's older brother, walked out of the office smirking at Josef.

"Good luck." Nicholas chuckled fueling the other vampire's fear.

"Go on in he is waiting." Lance said propelling his sister's beau towards the door.

Josef straightened his dress shirt and walked confidently into the office surprising himself with how calm he appeared. "Sit down Mr. Kostan." Laurent sighed looking up from his paperwork. "I have been waiting for you to work up the nerve to come and speak with me." The fluent sound of the ancient vampire lulled Josef into the usual false sense of security.

"I know that you have never approved of Elise and I but this needs to be said." Josef said willing to throw his hardnosed reputation under the bus to get Elise by his side for eternity or for as long as she would have him.

"Go on." Laurent sighed waiting for the younger vampire to get on with it smiling slightly knowing what was to come.

"You thought I was a reckless and careless vampire who was going to amount to nothing, I didn't have enough power and you didn't think I would treat Elise the way she deserves to be treated. You saw what she was like when we were separated and you have seen what I have amounted to. There is no reason to keep us separated. I have noble blood and I have the proper breeding you look for Laurent." Josef said his gaze never faltering under the powerful gaze of the ancient. "I would like to marry Elise and in the near future take her as my mate."

Laurent stared at him his gaze never wavering unnerving Josef but he was not about to let the other vampire see any weakness. "You have proven to be a good leader; LA is one of the strongest tribes that exist. I do however have a concern." Laurent said.

"What?" Josef asked thanking god that he couldn't physically sweat.

"The human girl Sarah." Laurent said watching as Josef's form stiffened noticeably in his seat. "I do not want my Elise to have to fight for your affections. You have divided love young Josef."

"No, my love for Sarah is human. Sure I promised her a lifetime but I never promised her forever. Her not waking up has just proven that she is not meant to be with me for eternity but Elise is." Josef said.

"You would really stick by my Elise forever? Even if it were to cause troubles for you and Mick?"

Josef couldn't control the reflex of running his hand through his hair as Laurent hit the sore subject. "Mick knows where he stands in all of this. He is my friend but Elise is my forever. He is the same with Beth, she comes first."

Laurent leaned back in his chair taking in what Josef had said enjoying making him sweat it out. "Well I am alright with it but there is one other person you must make amends with in order for me to give my final approval."

Josef nodded and the door opened slowly a dark head popped into the room, Coraline. He thought he had sensed her outside the room somewhere and now Josef knew why. He had to make nice with Liz's baby sister in order for daddy to say okay.

"Josef." Coraline called softly as Laurent slipped out of them office to give them some semblance of privacy even if that was technically impossible with their hearing.

"Yes." Josef stared hard at the woman who made his best friend miserable. She was quite the conundrum. She made Liz miserable and happy at the same time and she was adored by his fledgling. "It seems we have a few things to straighten out."

"More than a few and most of it is me having to apologize." Coraline sighed biting her lip the same way her sister did. "My sister means the world to me Josef more then you could ever imagine. My moon and stars are all hers."

Coraline moved from her chair to pace it made her think clearer. "I did so many terrible things to my sister Josef and yet through it all she still loves me, she manages to look past my unstable tendencies and see me. Can you do that for Elise, Liz?" She asked her dark eyes staring painfully at him.

"There is not much bad in her but I always overlook what she does and you know that. Hell when she misbehaves it is a turn on." He grumbled looking away.

Coraline nodded and continued. "I killed her family Josef and yet she continued to love me, can you love Liz if she does not love Mick?"

Mick seemed to be a theme for the family, it was obvious that the moody vampire was a sour subject for all of them. "As I told Laurent, if I need to choose it is going to be Liz. You know Liz though, she won't make me choose."

"I am sorry I have lied to you and messed up. I am happy that when I left Mick you were there to help him and make him somewhat better and I happy that you pushed Beth Turner into his life." She whispered.

Josef's head shot in her direction in shock; no one else was supposed to know that not even Mick. "How the hell…"

"My sister and I are observant Josef. We noticed your fondness for the girl. You pretended to want her gone knowing that Mick would push harder against that and move deeper into her life. Like the master you are you pulled all the right strings." Coraline chuckled and Josef nodded reluctantly.

"I knew when he continued to watch her after he rescued her from you that more of a connection developed that day than usual. Roxy just proved my point and I might have nudged Mick in the direction I wanted him to go in."

"Don't worry only Elise and I know oh and Laurent but he is happy about it. He wants Beth in the family badly, she will complete our puzzle."

"She was meant to be his mate, but your ex is incredible stubborn. She will be good for him." Josef said surprised that Coraline was taking it so well.

"Just like Alex is good for me." She whispered freezing him in his chair. A soft chuckle so similar to her sister's escaped her small mouth. "Come on Josef you have to have seen it. Alex is different he feels so different from the other men in my life. He is young yes but there is just this I don't know, fire, about him." Coraline said.

"You think he might be your mate?"

Coraline shrugged. "Too early to tell but I do know he means a lot to me, more than the others even Mick."

"Be careful with him. Elise is very fond of him." Josef warned.

"I know."

"Do I pass?" Josef asked raising an amused eyebrow.

"Oh yeah you already did Laurent just did this so that I wouldn't back out of talking to you." Coraline said.

"You have permission." Laurent said coming into the office with the rest of Liz's brothers all looking annoyed.

"We didn't get a say." Jacques grumbled wincing when Nicholas elbowed him in the gut.

"Thanks. I am going to propose to her at the charity event."

"The one where Liz ex is going to be?" Coraline asked with a raised eyebrow. "Jealous much." She laughed.

"Well her other friends are going to be there and I figured with us all in the same place might as well make use of the event." Josef said.

Josef left the ancient vampire's home and sped off towards his own at an alarming speed anxious to get back to Liz. She had called him earlier and told him she had a surprise for him, he always loved her surprises. The flashy car pulled into the large garage and Josef sped into his house thanking his lucky stars that he had vampire speed.

"Took you long enough." Liz growled and Josef's jaw dropped.

"Where the hell did you get that?" He choked out feeling dumbstruck for the first time in his undead life.

"The Cleaner gave me one of her uniforms." Liz said turning slowly in her skin tight leather jumpsuit her high heeled boots. "She said it was an early birthday present." Liz paused smirking at him, "What do you think, is it me?"

Josef nodded his eyes never blinking, "Yup and I am going to buy her a car for this." He growled before he moved to grab her but Liz danced out of his way pushing him onto his white couch.

"Ah ah Josef you have been a very bad boy and you need to be punished." Liz growled her blue eyes replacing her brown.

"Sweet mother of…"

Kal Langley's Home

He had been pacing for hours but Michael said to just leave him. Kal thought it was rather amusing to watch the boy king pace the length of the living room mumbling to himself and apparently Maria and Kyle did as well since they were both sitting next to the protector snickering.

"I can just see him doing this in a past life in front of a hall of people mumbling to himself." Maria giggled and Kyle let out a snort.

Kal looked at the two and smiled genuinely for the first time in years. "Antrians don't have mouths so we were spared this part of the show but Zan did have a pacing habit."

"How did you eat?" Kyle asked as Maria rolled her eyes at the typical Kyle question.

"I have a mouth, Antrians don't." Kal was quick to make the distinction. "They eat through a slit on their right hands." Kal explained.

"Ew." Maria hissed. "What race are you?" She asked looking excited. "I didn't realize the shape shifters were different."

"Most humans don't. We are not native to the galaxy we are refuges that the Antrians use for their personal gain. We were allowed to stay on their planet as long as we worked for it."

"That is not fair." Kyle said and Kal nodded.

Maria continued to look at Max wishing he would just stop already. "So that was Josef." She whispered so only Kal and Kyle could hear her.

"How do you know him exactly?" Kal asked oddly curious.

"My best friend Liz is a vampire and she used to date Josef." Maria said.

"I don't know of any Liz's." Kal hummed and Kyle snorted softly.

"Her name is Elise from what Maria and Michael have told me." Kyle said and Kal's eyes widened.

"Elise as in the French noble woman?" Maria nodded and Kal grinned. "So Maxie boy here dated a vampire?"

"Yup and he never noticed. I mean he even got flashes from her and apparently saw little snaps from her lives but he never picked up on them." Maria giggled.

"Doesn't surprise me." Kal said and the two humans shot him a confused look. "Getting flashes from a person is a heady deal thousands of images and memories rush at you it is hard to pick something out a few things will jump out. Max probably had no idea what he was even seeing."

"Liz never mentioned how dangerous Josef was though, she just said he was used to getting his way." Maria said.

Kal let out an odd sound opening and closing his mouth a few times before he finally continued, "Maria, Josef is a very dangerous man more so than I think you realize. The reason he is used to getting his way is because people have learned that is better to give Josef what he wants then fight him. He does not display his full strength often but when he does…" Kal closed his eyes the glasses making the gesture more pronounced. "When he does not many survive."

Michael and Isabel came into the room. It had taken Isabel by surprise earlier that Josef had not given in to her brother and Michael was left to deal with the hysterical mess. Maria and Kyle were surprised that she had not realized that her and Michael were not the only ones who were allowed to shoot down Max.

"He hasn't stopped?" Isabel asked and the three shook their heads.

"It gets entertaining after awhile." Kyle said patting her back.

"I have to stop this, this is getting ridiculous." Michael sighed moving to tap Max out of his pacing trance. "Maxwell buddy you need to come back to the land of the living." Michael said nudging him in the shoulder. Max turned and looked at the others with amber eyes blaring waves of worry.

"What is he?"

The whispered voice of the alien king shocked the group. Kal shifted around in his seat knowing that he wasn't allowed to actually tell Max what Josef was in plain terms but there was no rule against alluding to what he was. "He is different."

"Not human?" Max asked and Kal shook his head.

"No not human."

"Alien?" Isabel asked looking worried.

Maria snorted at that one but Kal quickly covered, "No he is from earth but he is not exactly human."

"Well then what is he?" Isabel asked.

"I can't say." Kal said.

"Tell me what Josef Kostan is." Max ordered and Kal cringed.

"I wasn't lying kid I really can't say what he is, some weird shit he did." Kal explained the memory of Josef figuring out how he ticked sending waves of fear through the protector.

"Is there any way we can convince him to let us contact our home world?" Isabel asked.

"There might be but that is really going to depend on how good a mood he is in, that girl of his is going to have to work him over real well in order for him to go for it." Kal said.

"Who the blonde?" Max asked and Michael snorted this time.

Kal shot the second in command a look before he turned back to Max, "No I think it is a different girl, Beth Turner I believe is dating Mick St. John. Another person you don't want to mess with." Kal mumbled. "The event is when we are going to have to schmooze him and try and get him to agree to let me send out the signal, which means I need to prepare all of you." Kal said looking meaningfully at Michael, Max and Kyle.

"Why us?" Kyle asked.

"He doesn't want you saying the wrong thing to one of his friends and embarrassing him." Maria snickered.

"Alright what do we have to do?" Michael asked and Kal chuckled. Michael stepped away from the protector looking scared; he could just feel it in his bones that he was going to absolutely abhor what he was going to say.


	20. Surprise III

Part 19: Surprise III

_Heartbreak is the worst kind of pain. It takes over so suddenly and chokes the very life out of you; and it is the pain of heartbreak that leads even the wisest of people to take drastic action._

The flashes and flickering blue lights blinded them. Maria gasped when she saw the lavish building and all the photographers waiting to take their pictures. "Come on kid, let's wow them." Kal said linking arms with Maria as the other four trailed behind, Kyle keeping his arm around Isabel.

"Mr. Langley!" They shouted at the group.

"Mr. Langley who are you with what made you decide to come to this event?" Reporters asked. Kal squeezed Maria's hand and glanced at the others.

"This lovely girl is Maria and a close friend of the family. We are here to support the foundation and Mr. Kostan. His charity work is amazing and I would be stupid not to support him." Kal laughed his comment typical hot shot Kal.

A woman in a long black dressed motioned for the group to follow her as she led them to their section. "Thank you so much for coming Mr. Langley your donation was very generous." The woman simpered leading them towards a ball room full of clashing sounds of classical music from some unknown time and chattering voices and laughs.

"Wow." Isabel breathed when the soft golden light met their eyes.

Michael grunted and adjusted his bowtie again. "Michael stop that." Maria hissed slapping his hand as he went to touch it again.

Michael just glared at her. "It is chocking me." He ground out.

"It's supposed to kid." Kal said.

"Great so not only have you buzzed my hair off so that I look like a marine but I have to be choked to death." Michael grumbled.

Max ran a hand through his short hair wincing as his hand pulled away full of jell. Kyle just snickered happy that he got to keep his hair as long as he slicked it back.

Lance and Eduard paused at the side when they saw the group, they remembered them from the pictures Elise and Alex had shown them. "Looks like the special guests have arrived." Lance chuckled his dark chocolate eyes glittering in the golden light as they flashed ethereal blue and then back to their human brown.

"Coraline is with Alex." Eduard said sipping the champagne unable to taste it.

"Ah the ghost from the other side." Nicholas cackled as he joined his brothers. "I have a feeling the blonde alien will be the most entertaining."

The vampires in the room were in greater numbers than the humans and all seemed acutely aware of the movements of the aliens and two humans in the Langley party. To the small group it seemed to be a fancy get together but Kal knew that it was really a finely practiced dance the vampires had crafted to achieve maximum results.

Leon and Charles shot amused looks at their brothers across the room and moved into action; the dance had begun. "Kal Langley." Leon laughed approaching the alien protector. Kal's eyes darted to the two French men his eyes widening slightly. "Leon, Charles I didn't know that the two of you were in town."

Charles looked amused as he swirled the clear liquid in his glass. "Our father had yet to visit the States and with his baby girls both here he felt it was due time." Leon said the French tick on his words enchanting Isabel. His dark eyes were so captivating, she felt as if she was being pulled into his very soul as he stared at her the dark iris of his eyes.

"Brother." Charles laughed snapping Isabel out of her trance. Leon grinned at his brother giving him a deceptively innocent look.

Maria and Michael soaked in the appearance of the two men in front of them knowing from the clues they were getting that these were two of Liz's brothers. If they had not known that their friend was related to the two men it would have been hard to see. Maria noticed that all of them had the same eyes and similar smiles and cheeks.

"le frère chéri vous a vu mon amour je l'ai cherché partout. Notre soeur sait-elle qu'ils sont ici ?" Coraline asked her brothers as she wandered over to them. The French rolled off her tongue as she ignored the others around her.

"Ah Coraline." Kal said pushing Maria and Kyle behind him slightly. Coraline whipped around her doe eyes blank.

"Hey you're that girl." Isabel said. "The one that came to see Liz in the café last year."

Coraline turned to the girl her condescending cold smile firmly in place on her frozen in time face. "Good memory."

"How do you know Liz?" Max asked pushing his sister aside. At last it looked like he might be closer to finding out where Liz disappeared to and how to get in contact with her.

"She is my sister." Coraline said.

Charles looked at Max and growled. "How do you know my little sister? I am sure you have never come up." Charles asked.

"Liz does not have any siblings." Isabel huffed.

"Is there a problem here?" Laurent asked his presence making the others instinctively uneasy. Kal meanwhile cringed back. He did not have a lot of experience with vampires but he knew that whoever this was in front of him was ancient and not someone he wanted the royal brats to mess with.

"Daddy this is Kal Langley and these are friends of Lizzie's." Coraline said forcing herself to use her sister's alias.

Laurent stared coldly at those in front of him gripping Coraline's arm. "Darling go and find your friend I am sure this atmosphere is making him uneasy." Laurent said dismissing his child and two sons. "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Langley. Josef has told me all about you."

"All good things I hope." Kal tried to suck up but the expression on the ancient's face told him it was hopeless.

"Daddy!" Coraline hissed scurrying back up to the group. "I can't find him." She hissed her brown eyes wide, the slight edge of terror made Kal cringe.

"What?" Laurent hissed a low growl escaping his chest the sound reminding the aliens of the inhuman sound ripping from Josef Kostan. "Coraline he is just a fledgling you know how dangerous that can be."

"Father?" Lance asked sensing the trouble.

"Alex is missing." Laurent hissed.

"No he isn't. Elise has him tied to a damn chair in the back." Coraline's eyes widened.

"Why?"

"Josef wanted to make sure he ate but you were distracting him so he had Elise tie him up and gave him a girl." Lance chuckled and Laurent deflated his cold expression still in place.

"Hi I am Maria." Maria pushed past the others and stuck her hand out to Laurent who raised an eyebrow at her.

"Maria." Isabel hissed.

"Pleasure to meet you Maria." Coraline said "I am sure I will be seeing you later."

"Count on it." Maria said glaring at Coraline surprising the vampire.

The vampires glided away reminding Kal once again that in this room he was no longer the one in power and that these people were all here to fulfill some role in the intricate play. Max was handed a glass of orange juice as they sat at a table. He looked around and took in the occupants of the room.

They were all exceptionally beautiful more so then actors. It was as if the majority of the room had this cold feel to them. He felt as if he was missing something big that the whole room was somehow in on a joke and that only the people sitting at the table with him were not in on it. The soft tinkering laugh of an angel filled the room and stilled. It was a laugh that he knew all too well a laugh that haunted his dreams and memories, it sounded so much like Liz's sweet honey laugh.

Max turned and looked around the room. He saw that Coraline woman standing next to another woman with long brown hair piled on her head next to that Beth woman. There were several other beautiful women around the room but none of them were Liz.

The sound of a microphone kicking on caught the attention of the room. Shockingly it seemed as if most of the room was already paying attention and in their seats. Josef Kostan stood grinning at the front of the room champagne glass in hand as he greeted his guests. Maria suddenly kicked him and Max snapped back to reality.

"…Tonight though I do have one more topic on my agenda." The sound of musical laughter filled the hall. "Liz my love please come here." Maria stilled next to him her green eyes widening.

A tall slender figure with her long hair piled on top of her head stood and moved gracefully to stand on the stage with Josef. Max recognized her as the girl standing next to Coraline and Beth. When the light hit her and she finally faced the room the air left his chest when he saw who it was. It was his Liz.

"Now as all of you know Liz and I have been together for years." Josef said.

"Wait what?" Max hissed looking at his sister as Maria, Michael and Kyle slumped lower in their seats.

"What is going on?" Isabel asked, "Why is Liz here? And who the hell does she know Josef Kostan?"

"I don't know that is why I was asking you." Max hissed back.

"…You are the light of my life and with everything I have in me. Liz my love will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Josef asked as Max's head whipped back around to face the stage where Liz stood with Josef on a knee.

The room held their breath the women and men on the edge of their seats. "Of course." Liz squealed as Josef rose inhumanly fast to his feet and swept Liz into his arms the public display of affection rare for the couple especially Josef. "I love you." They heard Liz whisper the microphone picking up the soft sound, but Max did not realize that the rest of the room could hear them anyway.

"Bout damn time." A familiar voice said as a tall man with glasses jumped to his feet Coraline at his side giggling.

"Here here." Maria said and Michael stood with her. The tall man froze and slowly turned around and faced the occupants of their table. Isabel felt her breath escape her it felt as if someone had just slammed into her chest.

"Alex?" She whispered.


	21. The Walking Dead

Part 20: The Walking Dead

The room stilled at the voice of the blonde. No one breathed that didn't need to and it was the first time that the aliens realized that there was something deadly wrong with the situation. Simone stood up and hastily motioned to the guards who moved to escort several people out of the room, the humans who had no idea what was going on.

Beth clutched Mick's hand tightly in hers when she heard the alien girl call her friend's name and from the soft growls coming from around the room it was not something that the vampires were happy about. Alex slowly turned around to face the group a sheepish look on his face.

"Hey guys." He chuckled as Liz and Josef suddenly appeared at his side.

"Alex." She choked out again her golden hand stretching out to touch the ghost in front of her. Alex allowed her warm touch on his icy skin watching as her hand recoiled from the cold dead feeling.

"You're alive?" Max asked looking sick.

"Not technically." Alex laughed.

"None of us are." Josef said.

"Max, Isabel." Kal said trying to ease them into this gently or as gently as his mannerisms would allow. "The people in this room are the living dead. They are vampires."

Isabel and Max stared at their protector before the two of them busted out laughing the sound unusual and creepy in the atmosphere. Michael cleared his throat and the two looked at their friend tears rolling down their cheeks from their laughter. They saw his serious face and their laughter trickled off. "You are serious." Isabel whispered and Michael nodded.

"Wait why do you three not seem surprised by this and Liz what do you have to do with all this?" Max asked.

Michael let out a sigh and glanced at Liz who just nodded her face showing no emotion, it was scary. "We knew the three of us did. Liz told Maria and I before she left and Kyle just figured it out."

"Figured what out exactly?" Isabel seethed.

"That I am a vampire and that my friend turned Alex into one of us." Liz said her voice stabbing them like an ice pick as the vampires in the room shifted around uneasily.

"Vampires aren't real." Isabel whispered backing up slightly.

Mick was oddly the one who found the situation funny but then again it might have something to do with the large scotch he was holding. "Wake up little girl we are real and we are out there." Mick said taking another large gulp from his glass. Beth rolled her eyes at him but rubbed his arm none the less, his girl to the bitter end.

"That is not possible I mean there is no way…" Isabel babbled while her brother looked ill.

Liz looked into Max's amber eyes were warm brown eyes shifting their inhuman blue. "My real name is not Elizabeth it is Elise. I was born in France over two hundred years ago and I was the first of my family to be changed by Laurent." Liz said as the ancient vampire stood up along with the rest of her family. "I was dying just after having given birth a few days prior and Laurent changed me."

"She was the first but not the last." Laurent said.

"The rest of us were changed as well." Coraline said.

"Wait so you are Liz's what?" Isabel asked shakily her hand moving to her stiff hair out of habit.

"Sister, her little sister." Coraline said.

"Not much of one." Maria muttered.

"Not now Maria." Alex warned pulling Coraline snugly against him. Maria gave him a withering glare when she saw his arms around the woman she hated for hurting her best friend.

"Liz that is not possible." Max whispered, "I saw you grow up."

"No you didn't" A familiar voice rang softly from behind Max three figures glided towards the group Nancy and Jeff pushing a small girl with long curled brown hair towards them. She looked to be around ten but she could easily be from ten to fourteen it was rather odd. It was the Liz who had been in Roswell at one point the second Liz.

"This is not possible." Max whispered.

"It is." Josef whispered hugging Liz tight making it clear to Max that she was taken. "Liz was high profile in her last life and needed to remain low key so she set up this intricate web so no one would question that she was human. It worked because even you the most paranoid man around bought her act." Josef said.

"You were with three different versions of me." Liz said.

"This is just crazy." Isabel whispered.

"Not crazy just surreal it is a lot to take in but after awhile it will all make sense." Alex said.

"How are you…" Isabel chocked off a sob as she stared at Alex.

"Like Liz said, a friend of hers changed me. Her name was Roksana and she gave me the ultimate gift, immortality and a chance at a new life a life with my Lizzie in it forever." Alex said.

"Can I…" Maria was fidgeting slightly beside Michael and Kyle looking uncomfortable. "Can I hug you Alex? I missed you." The human whispered. It seemed like every vampire in the room melted at the comment.

"Oh that was kind of sweet." The Cleaner said her girls nodded.

Alex grinned at his friend and he opened his arms as Coraline let go. Maria scattered across the floor her heals sounding loud in the silent ball room as she hugged her best friend. She let out a squeal as she held him, "Alex you are chilly. You feel just like Liz now." Maria giggled.

"Freezers are awesome." Alex grinned.

"Well this charity benefit is a bust." Josef muttered looking sour. "Pack it up people we will finish this at my place." Josef said and the vampires and humans around the room got the message. Beth and Mick stayed with the group as did Liz's family and Josef's guards.

"Your house?" Kal asked looking ill.

"Don't worry your little head Kal I am not going to throw you in the dungeon I haven't had one of those since I came to the new world." Josef laughed.

"No now he just uses holding rooms." Liz said.

Isabel and Max still looked as if none of this was sinking in, but the sickened and pained look on Max's face let Liz and the others know that at least some of it was registering. Isabel on the other hand was just in shock; seeing the man she loved back from the dead and on the arm of Liz's sister had to be hard.

"Come on Isabel." Kyle whispered ushering her out of the building and towards Kal's limo. "Come on we will get answers soon." Kyle whispered hoping to make her come back to earth.

"He is alive." Isabel whispered looking at Kyle fearfully. "Oh god Kyle he is alive and I was not with him I never got to tell him I love him and now it might be too late. Oh god Kyle Kyle did you Kyle did you see him?" She sobbed falling into his arms in the front of the limo not seeing the pained stares from the others in the car. "He looked so good and he was not with me he was with someone else. I wasn't faithful I moved on how could I be so stupid." Isabel sobbed.

"Shh Isabel." Kyle said rubbing her back. "You are not stupid this is what Alex wanted he wanted you to be able to live your life to live the human life you always wanted. He wanted you to get married and have lots of kids; he knew that it was no longer in the cards for him so he stayed away from you. Alex just wants you to be happy Isabel that is all he has ever wanted."

"That woman is beautiful." Isabel whispered her lower lip trembling.

"Only on the outside." Maria hissed.

"What?" Isabel asked wiping her running mascara.

"Coraline is a bitch Isabel she is the worst and most vile being ever. I can't believe she is related to someone as sweet as Liz." Maria growled.

"Well Liz is not as sweet and innocent as we thought Maria and you know that she has told us about her past." Michael said and Maria grudgingly nodded.

"I just hate what all she has put Liz through and I don't want her to get her damn hooks into Alex like she did that Mick guy. She really f'ed him up I can only imagine what she will do to Alex." Maria grumbled.

"Maria we need to wait until we get there before we make any decisions or come to any conclusions." Michael whispered softly for once the voice of reason in the group.

"Who is Josef Kostan to Liz?" Max asked in a strangled whisper. The occupants of the limo looked at him shocked that he was finally speaking.

Maria looked at the others clearing her throat to break the uncomfortable tension in the car. "Josef and Liz had a thing for like a century or something probably a little less than that but ever since Liz came to the States she found him and they hit it off and they were together for a long time." Maria said.

"What so she was with him and Max at the same time?" Isabel asked looking disgusted.

"No." Maria whispered. "Her sire would not let them be together he did not think Josef was right for their family so he called Liz back to France and kept her locked away there for awhile. It destroyed them both they were so in love. After Liz left Roswell she went to LA and that is where I am guessing she got back with Josef. I guess when you have been with someone for so long and then been without them you snap at the chance to be with them again."

"From what Liz said she really missed him." Michael said not looking at Max he did not want to see the pained look he knew was going to be on his friend's face.

"So why now why are they getting married now?" Max chocked out fighting the ball that was forming in his throat. "I thought you said that her S thingy didn't want them to be together."

"Sire." Maria corrected rolling her eyes, "And I have no idea why the guy suddenly let them be together maybe he is getting soft in his old age."

"Not likely." Kal grumbled. "I have heard stories about Laurent and they are not good, if anything the guy gets more ruthless with age." Kal huffed looking out the tinted window at the cars blazing past them. "If anything the guy has being evil down to an art form."

Max looked away and busied himself with looking out the window. He had not forgotten what they were originally there for; they needed Josef to give them the go ahead to contact Antar. With Liz and Alex being there though, that complicated matters in so many ways he was not even willing to think about. He noticed that the limo was pulling into a private drive of sorts and so were several other cars and limos. A giant gate opened and a large mansion full of glass walls and intricate masculine detail glared at him. The sight of the house left a funny burning feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"We are here." KAl whispered. "All of you need to be on your best behavior here." Kal hissed and they nodded. Isabel got shakily out of the car and clung to Kyle as Max walked numbly behind the group watching as several cars pulled around the side of the house and into a giant garage.

Mick got out of the passenger side of a car and led the people inside while Beth drove towards the garage. Isabel gasped when she saw the pool inside the boxed in court yard and the intricate layout of the house. "It is so…"

"Different." Alex said from behind them making the humans and aliens jump. Kal remained still though used to sensing an approaching evil. "What can I say my step daddy loves extravagance." Alex chuckled.

A dark growl was all the warning the group had that Josef was in the room. "Don't call me that." Josef grumbled. Alex just gave him another cheeky grin and sat down pulling Coraline into his lap much to Maria's displeasure.

"There are a few things that we need to take care of." Albert drawled from the dark corner that he preferred. "They know our secret this poses a problem."

Beth pressed her lips together in a tight line hating that every vampire she knew used that line at some point. She wanted to know when the hell they were all going to get it that no one in their right mind would tell others that vampires exist; people would think they were crazy.

"No!" Liz growled.

"Elise you know the price." Albert said his tone board.

"No!" She roared as Josef looped an arm around her hoping to quell her urge to lunge across the room and rip the ancient to shreds.

"Elise it must be done they are human and know of our existence. We are not in the habit of letting humans just wander into our world." Albert said.

"Albert these are my finds." Liz chocked out.

"Are they really?" The older vampire asked finally moving into the moonlight. The light bounced off his white blonde hair reflecting his face in an unnatural light. "I seem to remember that the only people you are friends with in that group are those three." He said jerking his hand at Michael, Kyle and Maria. "I see no problem killing the rest."

Max and Isabel held hands fearfully. They knew from the man's expression that he meant what he said, he wanted to kill them.


	22. The Walking Dead II

Part 21: The Walking Dead II

Liz paced the floor sending murderous glares around the room at anyone who even dared to move. Mick looked at Liz feeling sorry for her; for once he could understand the dilemma she was in for he had gone through the same thing with Beth.

"What does that mean?" Isabel finally asked.

"He wants you dead." Liz muttered her eyes pinned on Albert.

His thin smile unnerved the little brunette more than she cared to admit. "Wrong Elise, I only want those two dead." He said pointing to Max and Isabel. "The other three I would like turned, they are rather interesting. If the girl wishes to be a freshie that would be desirable as well." Albert said.

"No!" Liz roared.

"Wait why not Isabel and I?" Max asked finally catching up in the conversation.

Albert gave the alien king a deadly smirk that sent instinctive shivers down his spine. "Because I don't think I could stomach the knowledge that brats like you were given an eternity to torment those around you."

Kal looked at Liz and was not surprised to see she was actually thinking that scenario over. "Um I think this is where I come in." Kal said standing even though everything in him was telling him not to. "I need to send a transmission to Antar. If all goes well Max will be off this rock and back on Antar by the end of the week."

Liz looked at Josef and then the others in the room, "His child is on Antar if he were to send the transmission and leave there would be nothing except his sister here for him." Liz said.

Isabel studied Michael and Alex. They looked so happy so different than how they acted in Roswell it was as if they were finally being able to live their lives, away from all things alien. "Max is where my home is." She muttered but the vampires heard her. She cleared her throat and looked at Kal and then Liz. "Where Max goes I go."

"There would be nothing left for him here on Earth." Liz said.

"You sure about that?" Josef asked looking pointedly at her. Liz reached her small hand up in an unconscious gesture and stroked his cold cheek with the back of her hand.

"There is nothing." She whispered. The others in the room looked away from the two vampires staring at each other. Somehow that act alone was much more intimate than any kiss or gesture. Max was the only one who couldn't look away. The look in her eyes was different than any he had ever seen. It was deep and warming and he could tell that it was all for the man in front of her that her heart had always belonged to Josef Kostan.

It hurt him to know that he was just a passing fancy and that he was only there to keep her occupied while she was unable to be with her real love. He thought what they had was real that they were soul-mates but the eternally beautiful couple in front of him was proving to be just that. "She is right." Max whispered looking away. "Once I leave with my sister there would be nothing left for me except Michael but knowing that he was here and happy would keep me away." Max said feeling several pairs of unfriendly eyes roaming over him as if to assess his worth.

"He is being truthful I can smell no lies." Eduard said his voice sounding oddly like a purr.

"You can smell lies?" Maria asked her mouth hanging open in shock.

"Some of us better than others Maria." Liz said. "My brother just happens to be a lie detector."

Alex felt bad when he saw his friend's confused look, "When a person lies their body changes. You can be the best liar in the world and there would still be changes. Different heart beat, different breathing patter, different pheromones, different scents in general. Liz's brother has trained himself to pick up on every small detail." Alex explained.

Josef moved away from Liz and paced in front of the room turning to glare at Isabel and Max every few seconds. His lips were moving but the humans couldn't hear what he was saying but the vampires could. He finally stopped and stared at Kal his expression unreadable. "How dangerous is this transmission because if you can't guarantee that my city won't be invaded or hounded by the government you have my permission. If you can make it work Kal they won't die." Josef said.

"What about them?" Kal asked looking at Michael, Kyle, and Maria. Kyle scratched the back of his head looking pained.

"Would it be terrible of me to ask if I could just walk away from this?" He asked softly.

"What?" Liz asked.

Kyle let out a sigh running his hands through his gelled hair, "Liz you know I have never wanted this life I was happy being human and unaware that nightmares really do exist. I just want to go back to being an ignorant human and go off to college and then settle down." Kyle said.

"You guys have informants all over the place." Beth blurted out. "He could stay human and keep in touch with Liz and then if you all need something in his city he could work it out. This way he could remain human and out of the supernatural influence." Beth said.

"I would be willing to go along with this." Kyle said.

Josef knew that the decision was going to be left up to him since it was his girlfriend that he was going to have to deal with when the decision was made. Mick held Beth close proud that she spoke up. "He has already proven that he is capable of keeping the secrets of others. I think that if Kyle truly wants to remain human and out of our world then that is good for him. I will agree to it." Josef said.

It was apparent to those in the room that Mick and Liz were barely containing their excitement. Mick was happy that a human did not have his life taken away from him when that was not what he wanted and Liz was thrilled that her friend was going to get the chance to live a happy human life. "Thank you." Liz whispered and Josef nodded trying not to smirk; he knew he was going to get rewarded for his decision later.

"Josef I can see our presence is no longer needed. We will be in touch." Valia said as her and several others around the room left leaving only Mick, Beth, Alex, Coraline, Liz, and Josef with the rest of the Roswell group plus Kal.

"What are you going to do with us?" Michael asked pointing to Maria and himself.

"Albert has taken a liking to Maria." Liz said. "He finds her amusing and surprisingly wants to sire her whenever she is ready." Maria looked pleased with herself. "He has not changed anyone in three centuries." Liz added and Maria stilled.

"Then why is he…"

"Because he finds you interesting and he feels you would be a good asset to our community." Liz said.

"Michael on the other hand The Cleaner took an interest in him she said his blood smelled interesting and the alien factor amused her. She has never changed a male before but with her being a Cleaner and always on the move it would allow you and Maria to be close to each other." Josef said.

"The Cleaner?" Michael asked.

"The chick in the leather." Alex said.

"They all wear leather." Liz giggled.

"The hottest chick in leather." Alex said.

"Liz is not a Cleaner." Josef growled.

"Oh come on people!" Alex huffed. "You all know who I am talking about so stop messing with me."

"What about his blood?" Kal asked truly interested in the matter and apparently so was Michael based on how fast his head snapped.

"His blood will taste different but it will all be replaced once he is changed. He won't have his powers either since his brain chemistry will be reworked. He will have the abilities of a vampire and that is it." Josef said.

"So he would basically be a human as a vampire." Maria said and Liz nodded.

Michael looked stunned by the news but there was a hopeful glint in his eyes. "I could be exactly like Maria?" He asked and Josef nodded. "Then it sounds fine to me." Michael whispered.

"Kal you have permission to send the transmission whenever you need to just let me know what to expect and when." Josef ordered and Kal quickly nodded.

"You got it."

"Well it has been a long night and I am sleepy." Liz said turning to Josef. "Can I stay with you?" She asked her bottom lip sticking out in an adorable pout.

"Like you need to ask." Josef muttered and Liz quickly skipped around the room handing out her kisses before she bounced up the stairs to Josef's bedroom.

"Be seeing you." Kal said shaking hands with Josef as he led the way out of the house. Mick and Beth headed up to their guest room leaving the ruthless vampire to himself. He stared at the retreating group quickly moving to grab Max. Josef pulled the kid back inside and closed the door to the protests from his sister.

"We need to talk." Josef said dragging Max towards his office his sound proof office.

He could hear Max's heart racing as he was dragged through the house and into the lavish office. Josef closed the door soundly and then pounced. Max had no time to react as a now familiar hand wrapped itself around his neck pinning him to the wall. "You better be serious when you say that there is nothing left for you here." Josef growled his blue eyes glaring cruelly at him.

"Liz has made it clear that she wants nothing to do with me." Max gasped out.

"Are you sure you are getting this? I can smell the lust on you whenever you look at her and I need to know if I am going to have a problem with my mate's ex coming after her in the future?" Josef asked.

Max could hear the deep rumblings spilling from Josef's chest and cringed at the inhuman sound. It was so protective and possessive it made him feel worse than before. He knew that he was not meant for Liz Parker the man in front of him was. "I just want Liz to be happy and she is with you. I saw it in her eyes she never looked at me the way she looks at you. Please Josef I just want to find my son and help my people. Earth has nothing for me now." Max whispered.

Josef searched his face and his scent for the truth and was pleased that he was not lying like Eduard had said. "Fine but know this Max, if you ever set foot near Liz or any of my kind I will kill you." Josef promised and Max nodded. Josef released him and took him back out front thrusting him through the front door into the herd of people calling for him. "Good morning." Josef sang before he slammed the door shut.

"Now off to Elise!" He growled he could not wait for his reward.

One Week Later

Isabel and Max stood on the Cliffside with Kal and the others. Kal had sent the signal out three days ago and the rebels of Antar had said that they were going to open a portal for them to head home. Apparently technology had changed a lot in fifty some years on Antar even with a war going on.

"Be safe." Michael grunted hugging Isabel who was silently crying. Saying goodbye to her parents had been hard and she was rather sad that things with that lawyer Jesse were not going to go anywhere but she was finally going to get to see her home world and meet her family.

"I will be. You too." Isabel whispered and he nodded. The others slowly said their goodbyes the atmosphere growing even more tense the closer the clock ticked to midnight when the portal would open.

The air suddenly felt charged and the air was knocked out of those who could breathe as a rip in the sky opened up in front of them. It looked as if the world was a sheet and someone had just torn it in two. Kal motioned for the two to walk through. With one last look at their friends and family Max and Isabel Evans left Earth.

The rip healed behind them and then they were gone. "Are they really gone?" Maria asked. Kal nodded at her giving her a small smile. Kal suddenly doubled over clutching his head his face twisting into a terrible grimace as a pained scream left him.

"What the hell?" Alex asked keeping Maria and Liz behind him. Suddenly Kal fell to the ground and the pained screams stopped.

"Kal?" Maria asked tears filling her eyes those were not good screams and she was more than a little scared.

"I am free." He breathed his black eyes starting at them their unusual size shocking. Kal looked at them for a moment and then his body disintegrated before their eyes into a breeze of dust.


	23. Epilogue

Epilogue

The cool crisp air blew against their dead skin in a refreshing pattern. Alaska was perfect for them, the almost constant night left them all happy and the limited human population allowed them more freedom.

After fifty years in LA Josef and Mick were finally forced to leave the city when their faces were getting too well known, they and their mates had to disappear. Elise was the one to suggest Alaska where the mates who had posed as the parents of Liz Parker were living with the forever young Natalie who was an immortal twelve year old. The fact that no one ever saw the child allowed them to stay in one place with their band of freshies and now the four vampires were going to move into their compound.

Liz rolled over in the snow and onto of Josef loving the low growl he released at the contact of their bare frozen skin. "Can I help you?" Josef asked as she wiggled on top of him.

"Yes I have seem to have an itch that needs scratching." She pouted her lower pink lip sticking out as she stared down at him.

"Oh we can't have that now can we." Josef growled.

"Ew." Beth and Mick groaned from a ways away. They might not be next to each other but they could sure as hell hear the couple as if they were right on top of them.

"Agh come on Mick let's go see what Alex and Coraline are doing." Beth said standing up and pulling her mate inside. It was odd the friendship that had formed between Beth, Mick and Coraline over the years. It wasn't exactly best friends but they were close there was a bond there that was unexplainable. Mick had been shocked when it was discovered that Coraline and Alex were actually mates, it was kind of fitting when one thought about it they just seemed to balance each other out.

"The horn dogs at it again?" Maria asked looking up from her book as her head rested in Michael's lap her long blonde hair fanned over Michael's legs. The two of them had changed drastically in appearance once their change happened, Michael grew taller and filled out more if that was possible and his skin now had a pale golden hue to it making him look like an angel as Maria said. Maria was different as well with her hair turning blonde again and her face thinning out and her curves filling out. The two of them seemed to exude natural grace now and after so many years their bickering continued at full blast, it was foreplay for them.

"You know it." Beth giggled slipping on her robe. "I swear the two of them are worse than Alex and Coraline."

"It's Elise and Josef they are the epitome of sex." Michael groaned.

Most of the Aesir lived in Juno now in one of the three compounds. Together the three were more like small neighborhoods with several houses each. Many of the ancient vampires had needed to disappear and Alaska was where they all converged.

"How long can we stay here?" Beth asked nuzzling Mick's neck drawing a sweet growl from his chest.

"Forever if you want my love." He whispered as Liz's loud cries of joy reached their sensitive ears. "Or until we get tired of hearing those two." He laughed.

"Forever, I like the sound of that." Beth whispered kissing him.

"Then forever it is."


End file.
